


Destiny of That Blood

by Alhalish



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Betrayal, Transformation, first person POV
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-04
Updated: 2016-02-24
Packaged: 2018-05-04 21:34:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5349320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alhalish/pseuds/Alhalish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A street urchin who was abandoned by her parents at a very young age found herself unwillingly turned into a tool of revenge by the Daedric Prince of Domination himself.</p><p>Motivated by the desire to reunite with her parents, she decided to embark on a quest to slay Lamae Bal the Blood Matron, who dared to escape from Molag Bal's domain.</p><p>Will she be able to finish her quest, and break free of the Daedric Prince's influence? Or will she submit, and turn into a broken slave for all eternity?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> My first fanfiction. It was originally uploaded on Reddit, but the formatting there sucks, so I had to post it somewhere else.
> 
> This story is mostly written from the main character's POV, and the first four chapters will be focused on her life as a normal human, and I think that the first four chapters, along with the prologue can be considered rated T, save for a rather graphic depiction of child abuse in chapter 3.
> 
> By the way, the prologue is supposed to be chapter 0, but I don't know how to rename it to chapter 0, and chapter 2 is actually chapter 1, and so on.
> 
> Don't worry, the rape part in chapter 5 (which would be chapter 6) where she gets transformed into a vampire is barely mentioned at all, as she would be knocked out before the ritual started. And oh, halfway through the story, the main character will transform into an adult woman, and by that point, the story will get even darker, but no sexually explicit content.... Hopefully. 
> 
> Also, I'm looking for proofreaders. Please PM me on Reddit (I'm using the same handle) if you're willing to help.

The date is Morning Star 11th 4E 193, in the town of Skingrad, an elderly man with a balding hair was peacefully reading a book in the comfort of his home, which also doubled as an orphanage.

His name is Benignus, headmaster of the town's only orphanage, the Starlight Orphanage.

For thirty years, he had devoted his life to protect and raise children that were either abandoned by their parents, or were orphaned due to war. However, the orphanage had fallen on hard times, and because of this, he had no choice but to take loans from shady organizations, like the town's Thieves' Guild chapter.

The night was anything but peaceful, as the town was being drenched by heavy rain, but with a book and a good wine that accompanied him, Benignus easily indulged in his free time.

Suddenly, the sound of a door being knocked broke the silence. "I'm coming!" Said Benignus in response.

As he walked to his orphanage's entrance, Benignus thought to himself, "Who could be visiting at this time of hour?"

When he opened the door, he was greeted by two figures, one who was covered head to toe in black, and their shorter companion, about half the size of the figure next to it. Though the taller figure's face was somewhat obscured by the night, Benignus could identify them easily.

"Oh, it's you! Please, come in, come in!"

"Please excuse us." The hooded figure entered the orphanage first, with their companion following suit.

"So, my old friend, what brings you to my humble abode? Would you like something to drink?"

The hooded figure shook their head, and said, "Thank you, but I'm afraid I can't stay here for long. I want you to take care of my daughter."

The elderly headmaster was shocked to hear the figure's request, and he said, "But why? You are still healthy, and you have no problem with money, right?" The hooded figure remained silent.

Benignus then suddenly remembered something. Something that caused him to lower his tone of voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I understand now. After what happened to your spouse, you don't want them to find and harm your only child."

The hooded figure nodded, pleased to see that Beningnus understood their reasoning. "Very well, I'll gladly help you. Would you introduce her to me?"

The hooded figure then removed their companion's hooded coat, and revealed the person behind it.

A young girl, barely out of her infancy. She had a straight shoulder-length auburn hair, with hazel eyes which gleamed like emeralds. Her face was also dotted by subtle, yet numerous freckles. They complemented her complexion, which was slightly darker than most Imperial children.

"Oh, a beautiful little girl, isn't she? Although... it seems that there's something wrong with her." Said the elderly headmaster after he inspected the girl's face.

Her eyes were glassy, and she did not speak a single word, as if she was under the influence of a spell.

"Hello? Girl, are you listening to me? My name is Benignus, and I'll take care of you from now on, okay?" Despite his attempt at a friendly gesture, the girl remained silent.

"Are you sure that it's fine? It doesn't seem that she wants to stay here." Said Benignus to the hooded figure who stood next to the little girl.

The hooded figure in black then proceeded to hand over a sack of gold to Benignus, as an indirect way to make him stop asking questions.

"Don't you worry about that, she's just a bit tired after a long journey, that is all. Just take a good care of her for me, please."

"Keep the gold. I'm doing this for you and your spouse's sake."

Though their clothing may obscure their face, it was evident that the hooded figure was very pleased.

Truly it was the right decision to leave their daughter under the watchful eye of a man of virtue like Benignus.

The hooded figure then kneeled before the girl, and said, "I apologize for this, but I am doing this for your own safety. I am sure that we will meet again once you've matured into a fine woman."

The figure gently caressed her face, and though they tried so hard to hide it, it was obvious that they were holding back their tears.

"Please be safe, and remember to always be nice to people, and stay away from trouble, okay?" The girl weakly nodded, though it is difficult to tell whether she did it consciously or not.

"And here, take this." The figure handed the girl a knit cap, which seems to be home-made.

"It's a little too big for your head now, but please, cherish it. Please remember the time when we made it together." The girl then held the knit cap close against her chest, and she nodded.

"That's a good girl. Well then, it looks like my time is up, and Benignus? I shall leave the rest to you."

The figure then stood up and faced the elderly headmaster, who proudly exclaimed, "Leave it to me! I swear by the Divines that nothing bad will happen to your daughter!"

The hooded figure nodded, and they headed towards the exit. But before they left Benignus' home, they faced to the girl for one last time.

"Well then, goodbye... Natalia."

A bright flash suddenly illuminated the room as a lightning bolt cracked, and when it disappeared, the hooded figure was nowhere to be found.

"Well girl, I've promised to your parents that I'll take a good care of you, and I'll continue to do so until the day I die. I'll introduce you to your new friends tomorrow. Girl?"

The girl paid no heed to Benignus' words, and she kept staring at the door.  
"Hello? Are you listening to me?" Benignus waved his hand in front of the girl's face, to no avail.

She shed a single tear, and for the first time since she entered Benignus' home, words were finally uttered from her mouth.

"Good... bye..."


	2. A New Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credits to /u/kuroneko051 for their great contributions to this chapter.

A groan escaped my lips as I pulled fabric of my tattered clothes from my drying wound. Bruises were visible all over my small body under torchlight, which would have invoked pity if not for where I am.

It had been three days since they kept me here. The prison cell was dark and damp. Rats would come to my cell trying to steal some food and even bite me from time to time. Healing potions were my only saving grace from infection, which is why I have been very careful in using them.

I would assume now was morning, since the guard had started to come in with trays of food. But the one standing in front of my cell seemed to have something to say.

"Finish your food quick. The Chief will be here at any second."

The bread was almost like a solid rock, but welcomed by my empty stomach. Just after I swallowed my last piece, the guard looked to his left and saluted.

The man was middle-aged, bald with a scar on his cheek. His tummy was bulging from a long year of peace and less footwork. Still, the axe at his back gave the kind of air that I should not try anything funny with him.

"What's your name, girl?"

My eyes must have looked defiant as the guard from just now suddenly followed up, "Answer to the Chief, little-"

"Silence, you are scaring her." A raise of his hand was a final gesture to stop the guard from speaking further, "If you start talking girl, I might let you go easily. And return this to you."

In his grubby hand was a worn knit cap. My only link to my parents. The only thing that made me warmth as if my mother was holding my hand.

"Natalia."

"Where are your parents?"

"Dead. A long time ago. Cut the small talk, what do you want from me?" It was the coldest tone I could manage, yet my body betrayed me in a shiver. Relief only washed over me when recognition sparked in those grey eyes.

"You are smarter than most street urchins out there. I would get straight to point then." The word surprisingly gave more boost in confidence than the insult, "If you cooperate with us, we will let you go. How does that sound?

Cooperate. I knew what that word meant. If I spilled the story, I would be killed. But the soldiers would beat me until I said something, which would leave me at death's door too.

My memory recalled the harsh whips and punches despite my cries. Since whatever I chose would lead to death anyway, what did I have to lose?

"I will cooperate. But you will let me go and return my knit cap. And have some people follow me to the orphanage."

I would not spill things for free. And if this man really wanted to know, he had nothing to lose by giving me that.

"Fair enough." The knit cap landed in front of me with a soft thud. I wasted no time in wearing it back, "Now talk. We don't have all day."

"I was 6 when my parents left me in Starlight Orphanage which was under the care of Benignus. He said they were drafted by the army."

But who knew what the truth is, I added in silence. I could have been a nobleman's illegitimate child, but they didn't have to know that.

"Life was pretty uneventful, but at least we didn't go too hungry and cold. Then Benignus died. He had no kin, so it was handed to Thieves' Guild. They forced us to work. Most children decided to beg. I decided to be a pickpocket because I am good at it. It is as if time dilates when I decide to do so."

The guard snorted at me, while the chief shot an amused yet insulting look.

"All I wanted was a new life outside the orphanage. So I went and stole that pouch. The gems were fake, and the sphere made you detect me somehow. And that was how I was caught in your campaign to clean the street from unfortunate children like us."

"You are lucky that you are still a kid, girl. Otherwise someone might cut that tongue for insulting the campaign to cleanse the street from criminals like you." He motioned his subordinate, "Get the girl's hands bound, she will lead us there."

________________________________________

It didn't go well at all.

I totally forgot my matron, Mistress Julia was the best two-faced actress.

"I am terribly sorry Sir, but we have never seen this girl before." Her voice was sweet and innocent, unlike her normal one which yelled and berated me, "Did any of you know her, boys and girls?"

Some shook their head while others looked away. Bastard. Even the girl who I had saved once by giving my share of the day was silent. It didn't help that the matron had prepared a tampered orphan record where my name had been totally erased.

And that resulted in me thrown back to this dungeon. At least now I was only yelled at. My knit cap was safe on my head too.

I could only pray to the Divines, if they truly existed, to kill me now. Who knew what Thieves' Guild could do to me.

But the assassins never come. Instead, a guard did.

"Under the Mayor's order, you are going to be sent to Honorhall Orphanage in Riften for pickpocketing in Skingrad. He believes in giving you a chance to repent in another place, as you are still young."

I had the biggest urge to roll my eyes, but I managed to put my most sincere thank you before he went off. I sunk to the ground and cried as silently as I could.

Riften was in Skyrim, which were currently having a civil war. This was a death sentence masked with pretty words.

Then again, I do wish to have a new life. I guessed this would be a start, if I survived.

I had to.


	3. New Home, Same Problems

As soon as I stepped out of the carriage that brought me to Riften, I spent a few moments to check my surroundings. I slept through most of the journey, and I wasn't really paying attention to the view outside of the carriage's iron-barred window.

I mean, it's Skyrim, it couldn't be nothing but snow as far as the eyes could see, right? Wrong. Riften was nothing like what I had expected.

Skyrim was nothing like Cyrodiil of course, but for a city that was located in the coldest province of Tamriel, I've never expected Riften to be full of trees, and the air was fresh and crisp.

I enjoyed the fresh scent of the air, and I stretched my arms, then my legs. "Well, I guess that adapting will be much easier than I thought."

Not far from where I am, I could see the city's harbor, and a great lake filled with fishermen boats. There was also a big building that was built on a small island, which was located smack dab in the middle of the lake. " _Whoever lives there must have a lot of money to share._ " I thought to myself.

"Oi kid, stop lollygagging!" Shouted the officer who accompanied me. "Let's get this over with, I want to get home quickly!"

"Hmph, well at least I won't see this guy ever again once this is over." I muttered to myself. The officer was a rude and obnoxious man. During the journey, he constantly talked about how I was unworthy of being exiled, how ashamed he would be if he had a daughter like me, and worst of all, he cracked terrible jokes and puns.

And so I approached him, and he talked to one of the guards in front of the city gates.  I wasn't paying attention to what they were talking about, as my attention was directed to the stables right next to the city gates.

One of the horses was looking at me funny, and so I made a silly face in return. The stablehand looked at me with a look that was not unlike the one the horse just gave me, as if he just saw somebody who just told the worst joke that he has ever heard in his life. It was really awkward, I don't know what I was thinking.

"Well then, seems that there's nothing wrong with the papers, although there is one slight problem." The guard then looked at the officer straight in the eyes, as if he was expecting the officer to say something.

"What? Oh, that's right. Riften. Is this the problem that you're talking about?" The officer then handed the guard a sack of coins, which the guard immediately put inside of his pockets.

"Ah, well done. Now, I believe that it is our duty to take this girl to her new home. Come with me, girl." Said the guard with a very condescending smile on his face.

At that moment, I've realized what kind of city Riften was. It was rife with corruption, filled with crooked people, and the only thing that the people here respect is money. I guess that a rathole like this fit me after all.

Beyond the city gates, I was immediately greeted with a familiar sight. A hooded man was fleeing from three city guards, one of whom even tried to subdue him by shooting an arrow that was aimed for the man's right leg. The man easily dodged it, and quickly jumped over a wall, and that was apparently all it took to make his pursuers stop. Corrupt and lazy guards in a den of thieves? I don't know what I expected.

Even though I witnessed the chase from quite a distance, I recognized the outfit that the man was wearing. It was the armor of a member of the Thieves' Guild.

"Oh great, so they're here too? Guess that I won't last long in this city after all." My curiosity turned into anxiety, and I started to look left and right for signs of trouble.

The guard laughed after hearing my reaction, andin an attempt to alleviate my worries, said, "Don't worry about it, the Thieves' Guild in Riften is nothing like the one in Skingrad. For one thing, the chapter here is in a very sorry state, they couldn't even scare an elderly baker these days."

He spat on the ground, and in a very confident tone he said, "It's just a matter of time until me and my boys pay a visit to their little "headquarters". Bet that they're so poor and miserable that they can't afford a single door to protect them, heh!"

The guard's act of bravado wasn't helpful at all. Indeed, if the guard was speaking the truth, then they may not hold any grudge with me, or they might not even know me at all. Or maybe the guard was lying, and he was actually in cahoots with them, and the Guild would kill me before I even stepped inside the orphanage.

" _I_ _s he going to stab me in the back while I'm not looking? Or is there an archer hiding somewhere in the rooftops, waiting for the right chance to land an arrow on my head? Oh by the Divines, I can't stop looking around for danger, and thinking about various ways that the Guild could employ to kill me!"_

"Here we are, Honorhall Orphanage. Let's go inside, I bet that Grelod the Kind has been dying to see you."

"Wait, we've arrived already?" It seems that I subconsciously walked alongside the guard while I was daydreaming. 

" _Grelod the Kind, eh? Could there truly be a saint in this dilapidated orphanage, surrounded by ruffians and other shady figures?_ "

Honorhall Orphanage itself was way smaller than Starlight, it was only about a quarter of its size. It was located in the southernmost part of Riften, just a few blocks away from the Jarl's keep. To the left of the building, I could see what I assume was the orphanage's courtyard, though the high walls surrounding it prevented me from looking what was beyond it, and there was no door or passageway that leads to it.

The guard then knocked on the entrance, and with a commanding tone he said, "Excuse me? I'm a member of the Riften City Guard. I have official business with Grelod the Kind."

Not long after he said that, a shrill female voice could be heard replying with, "Come in, come in, make yourself at home!"

 ________________________________________

When we entered the building, we were greeted by two women. One elderly woman, who I assume was Grelod the Kind, and the other was a woman in her late twenties, who had a very concerned look on her face.

" _I don't like the atmosphere here, clearly that there's something wrong with this place._ "

"Ahh, so this is her, the daring rogue from Skingrad. My name is Grelod, Grelod the Kind is what the good people of Riften call me. I am the headmistress of this orphanage, and I will be taking good care of you."

" _You're a terrible actress, Grelod. The way you act is all too familiar to me, it's no different than Julia's._ "

Well, I've already resigned myself to fate the moment I was transferred here, as long as I could survive, nothing else mattered.

Sometimes, I wondered why I even bother to stay alive. When Benignus was still alive, I had a father figure to look up to, and I wanted to repay my debts to him once I have grown up.

But now? I've been treated like nothing but a disposable tool. Nobody loved me, nobody cared about me, not even the people that I have helped in the past.

Maybe... Maybe it's because I wanted to see my parents again. I know that it's a foolish dream, and an impossible one at that because I don't even have the slightest clue to my past.

I don't even know if it was my father or mother who left me in Starlight, and even if by any chance I finally managed to find them, I would probably be chased away.

But still, I just couldn't stop thinking about them. Every night, I dream of moments that I've spent with my parents,  conversations with them, and other precious moments. I have no idea if they were figments of my imagination, or memories that I've forgotten a long time ago.

A reunion with my parents... It was the only thing that had been keeping me from taking my life. I just wanted to at least see their faces before I die, even if they don't accept me.

The guard gave me a pat in the back and he said, "Well girl, I've done my job. This is your home now. Be a nice little girl and stay away from trouble, unless you want to mess with us guards, wahahaha!" His annoying laugh was like torture to my ears, and even I could see that Grelod herself was feeling uncomfortable.  

"Well then, I'm off!" He carelessly slammed the door when he left, and because of that, he left a small crack on the door frame. 

I really wanted to punch that jerk. Even to this day.

As soon as the guard left the building, I could feel a change in the atmosphere. As I turned my head to Grelod, I could see her still smiling at me. I knew that she wasn't being sincere, and I've braced myself for anything that she was going to throw at me.

"Natalia, is it? I've heard of your story from the letter that the Mayor of Skingrad told me. He said that I should make a good first impression on you. But that time has passed, hasn't it?"

Her expression changed, and the kindly old lady facade that she was wearing disappeared in an instant.

" _Well, that took her long enough._ "

"Oh? What's with that look on your face? You think that you're tough, and you're not scared of me, is that it?" Her expression turned fierce, like a bear about to maul its prey.

" _Exactly the same person like Julia. Great._ "

I kept my composure, and I retorted with, "Well, actu-"

"SILENCE!" She slapped my face hard before I could finish my sentence. I knew what was coming if I were to reply to her without being asked to do so. Guess I just wanted to see how she would react.

Though I do have to retract my statement, there was a small difference that set her apart from Julia. For one thing, Grelod slapped using her right hand instead of her left.

"You talk when I let you talk, and you will do everything that I tell you to do! Are we clear on this?!" I didn't want to get more beatings on my first day in my new home, and so I had no choice but to comply.

"Yes, Grelod. Please forgive me for my insolence." I threw up a little in my mouth after I said that.

"Good, you're a quick learner. Since this is your first day, I'll let you rest. But starting tomorrow, you'll have to do your chores like the other kids. Constance Michel?"

Grelod then faced towards the woman next to her, and she was slightly alarmed when Grelod suddenly talked to her.

"Yes, Grelod. I will take care of her and the other kids while you are away, I will also show Natalia to her bed." Grelod nodded, and then she exited the orphanage.

I guess that I couldn't keep my tough girl act for long, as I broke down in front of Constance.

Constance kneeled before me, and she gently stroke my head. "I am truly sorry for that. Grelod... She has always been like that. Here, let me hug you." I hugged Constance, and I let my tears run free.

Not because of Grelod's abuse, but it was because it had been a while since somebody cared for me. I couldn't even remember the last time somebody hugged me.

"There we go, do you feel better now? Let me wipe your face first." Constance then gently wiped the tears from my face, and yet I couldn't stop sniffling.

"Well now, let me introduce you to the rest of the kids." Constance brought me to the room where the other orphans were. The orphans' bedroom was located right next to the entrance hall, which means that the other kids were listening to everything that had transpired. After she opened the door, Constance declared, "Kids, say hello the newest member of our family." 

"Hi Natalia, nice to meet you!" The kids greeted and waved at me in unison, with a smile on their faces. However, even they can't hide the fear in their eyes. One girl and three boys, and all of them were younger than me. Heh, I guess that it was pretty embarrassing to hear the oldest child in the orphanage to bawl like an infant.

"This Nord girl's name is Runa Fair-Shield, she's strong, quick, and dependable." Runa blushed after hearing Constance's praise.

"The Nord boy is Hroar. His confidence makes even the strongest warriors tremble!" Hroar, like Runa, also blushed, while the other kids were giggling after hearing Constance's exaggerated praise.

"And the two Imperial boys are Francois Beaufort and Samuel. Like you, they were als- Oh sorry, I didn't mean to bring up your past."

"No, no, it's fine. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only Imperial kid with a sad past." Constance was relieved that I took no offense to her words.

 I've noticed something peculiar with the room, however. Though there were four children, there were five beds. The fifth bed was clearly not meant for Constance, and I doubt that Grelod would care enough to buy a bed to prepare for my arrival.

 "Excuse me, but who's the fifth kid? The one before me, I mean." Constance was obviously taken by surprise by my question, as if she wanted to avoid it.

 "Oh, it's your bed now, but it used to belong to a boy named Aventus Aretino. He escaped from the orphanage a few weeks ago, and he hasn't returned."  Constance's face turned grim after she recounted that story.

 "Please... don't mention his name when Grelod is around. Okay?" I nodded, as I had imagined the fury in Grelod's visage when she found out that a child managed to escape her glorified torture dungeon.

 " _How bad could this place be if somebody would escape from here? Oh well, new home, new friends, same problems. I wonder what tomorrow has in mind for me._ "


	4. A Chance Arrangement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, graphic depiction of child abuse near the end of the chapter.

Sun's Dusk 18th, 4E 201. Ten days have passed since I left Skingrad, and there was no sign of improvement in my luck. Well, at least that I didn't have to work on the streets again.

At 6 am sharp, a loud, annoying noise of a ladle being banged on a kettle awakened me, along with the other kids. Time for breakfast, and then the chores. They were pretty mundane, and not particularly strenuous. Laundry, dishwashing, yardwork, you name it.

At 11 am, we were given a one hour of free time to do whatever we want. Well, as long as we were not going beyond the city gates, that is. Finally, an opportunity to explore the city.

Before I left the orphanage, I prayed to Kynareth for good luck, just like what I always did before I went to sleep.

Benignus told me that we should always be thankful for the Divines, so that we would always be protected from harm, misfortune, and should they be pleased enough, they may show me the path to reunion with my parents. I chose Kynareth as my patron deity because Benignus said that she's the protector of nature, defender of animals, and the bringer of good fortune.

I've always considered myself as a friend to animals, even if I'm famished, I'd ensure that the nearest starving animal would be fed before I do.

When I first arrived here, I wasn't paying attention to Riften as I was too busy daydreaming and worrying if a Thieves' Guild member were to suddenly  attack me while I was not looking.

Riften was... filthy. I couldn't think of a better word to describe it. A pungent stench which came from the canals contributed to the city's smells, along with the funk from the ubiquitous litters of the city's inhabitants.

Needless to say, covering my nose did nothing to mitigate the damage to my sense of smell. Yuck.

I headed to the market district, which was full of merchants peddling their wares, beggars asking for alms, and pickpockets helping their way to the wealth of the unsuspecting shoppers.

As I was looking around, something caught my eyes. It was beautiful, enticing, and most importantly, delicious.

Sweetroll, my favorite delicacy.

My tummy was rumbling, and I was slightly drooling when I imagined its sweet, tasty goodness in my mouth. But alas, my pockets were empty, and there was no way for me to get it, unless-

" _No! I shouldn't do that. Remember what got you here in the first place, Natalia? In a city filled with crooks and thugs like this, one wrong move could land you in a ditch, with your body left as food for the skeevers!_ " I berated myself for the dangerous thought.

I tried so hard to ignore it, and I tried to avert my gaze from it, and yet it was futile. I must have it. I couldn't help myself but to conceive a plan to get that sweetroll without getting caught.

"Oh Kynareth, I'm sorry, but I just couldn't stop my desire." I apologized to my patron deity before I started inspecting my mark.

It was an open stall, and its location was not very crowded. There was an alleyway nearby that I could use as an escape route, and should the baker be alarmed that one of his wares was missing, I could try hiding in the city's slums, which was located in the city's lower level.

The sweetroll itself was placed on the stall's rightmost corner, so taking it would be very easy as long as the baker's attention was not directed there.

" _Okay, wait for a distraction, walk normally, swipe it quickly, then go along as if nothing happened._ " I rubbed my hands after I concocted my devious plan.

" _Now, I just have to wait for the right opportunity_." I decided to wait in the alleyway, to avoid unnecessary attention.

A few moments later, while the baker was busy haggling with a customer, a man swiped one of his wares without warning, and he dashed towards the city's slums.

"Help! Thief! Thief!" The baker cried for help as he pursued the thief.

" _Great, my time is now!_ "  With all of the citizens' attention directed to the crime, I walked up to the stall, took the sweetroll, and walked along as if nothing happened.

It was a great success! Nobody was alerted, and best of all, I didn't have to hide from anyone! Still, I had to find a place to eat it quickly. If I brought it with me to Honorhall, Grelod might start asking questions.

I looked around the city for a safe spot, and I decided to lay low in the city's cemetery.

________________________________________

The cemetery was located behind the city's residential district. It was quiet, with very few people passing by. A perfect place to dine it was not, but it was the best place that I could find.

I sat on the ground, but I made sure that I was not sitting above somebody's grave. Even an urchin like me respected the dead, you know?

I indulged my tongue with the sweetroll, and its taste was truly divine. It had been weeks, or maybe months since I had my last sweetroll, and opportunities like that didn't come very often, and so I made sure that I made the most of it.

"Quite the opportunistic one, aren't you lass?"

Suddenly, I was alerted by a man's voice. He looked like he was in his late thirties, and his hair was reddish brown, somewhat like mine. He was standing just behind the cemetery's fences, and I choked on my sweetroll because of that.

This man, when did he get here? I didn't hear any footsteps, and I was so sure that nobody witnessed me taking the sweetroll.

" _*hack*_ Please, my lord-" I struggled to get the sweetroll out of my throat. "* _cough_ * Please don't report me to the guards, I'll do anything for you!" I pleaded for mercy to the man. I knew that running away will only make things worse, so the best course of action was to negotiate for this man's silence. 

"Report you? Why would I lass? You've impressed me with your feats!" The man gave a hearty chuckle, then he hopped over the fence, and sat beside me. I could tell from his eyes that he meant no harm, and so I let out a sigh of relief.

"My name is Brynjolf, a merchant. Mind telling me your name?" The man extended his right hand, and I extended mine in return.

"Natalia, I'm an orphan from Skingrad. I just moved to Honorhall Orphanage yesterday."

Brynjolf rubbed his well-kept beard and he said, "Skingrad? It's in Cyrodiil, isn't it? Let me guess lass, a job went wrong, you got caught, and you were exiled here?"

The man's shockingly accurate answer nearly made my heart stop. Just who could he be? "How... how did you know that?" The man smiled wryly, as if he expected my reaction.

"What you did in the market district lass, it definitely wasn't your first. Your eyes were focused on  your mark, your breathing was even, you showed no hesitation, and most importantly, you were discreet." 

"And you're not a regular merchant, are you?" The fear and anxiety suddenly returned to my mind once again.

"Opportunistic, clever, and sharp. You are a great thief in the making indeed. Yes, I'm actually a representative of an organization called the Thieves' Guild."

The mere mention of the Guild was enough to make me fear for my life. " _Oh no. By the Divines, no! The Thieves' Guild, and one of them is sitting here next to me!_ "

I took a closer look at him, and I noticed that he was carrying two daggers behind his back, and they clearly have been sharpened recently. They were prepared to take my head, no doubt.

" _This is it. This is where it all ends._ "

My body was trembling, but I mustered enough courage to say, "D-d-do it quickly."

Brynjolf raised one of his eyebrows, as I moved away from him. "I'm sorry lass, what did you just say?"

I don't know if it was the fear on my mind that was responsible, but I blurted out, "If you're going to kill me, at least do it quickly! That's what you're here for, right? Slit my throat, stab my heart, I don't care anymore!"

My tears ran free, and my legs were trembling. Horrible images appeared on my mind as I imagined how he would kill me and dispose my body. I closed my eyes, and I waited for my inevitable death.

Distraught by my sudden change in disposition, Brynjolf attempted to calm me down by saying, "Calm down, lass. I can assure you that whatever history you have with the Thieves' Guild chapter in Skingrad, they are of no concern to us. I swear on my honor as a thief."

At first, I wanted to make a run for it. But for some reason, I felt like I could trust Brynjolf. Even if he was a thief, I could sense that he was being truthful.

I bowed to him as an act of apology, and I tearfully said, "I'm... I'm sorry. They forced me to be a thief, an-and after I was arrested, I snitched on them. I was so afraid, and I was sure that th-they would send somebody to k-kill me." I couldn't stop my snifling, no matter how hard I tried.

Brynjolf then gave me a pat on the head to comfort me. "Poor little thing... I couldn't imagine the terror and paranoia that haunted you until this day."

"But don't you worry about that!" He stood up, and he also helped me to get on my feet.

"I'll make sure that you're going to be safe here. If you have any problems with the authority, just mention my name to them. Do you understand, lass?"

I nodded to Brynjolf, and he responded with a smile. Never in a million years that I would guess that one of the nicest people in my life would be a member of the Thieves' Guild.

I wiped the tears from my face, and I showed the nicest smile that I could make to him. "Thank you for everything, Brynjolf."

"To be honest, I don't think that I deserve this much. But still, I don't think that your word means anything. I mean, you're a thief after all." Brynjolf laughed, and I found myself laughing along with him.

"Anyways, I should go home now, or else Grelod will be... will be..." A sudden realization crashed on my mind like a lightning strike.

How many hours have passed since I left the orphanage? Oh no, by the Divines, how could I have forgotten about my time limit?

"Is something wrong, lass? You look like you just saw a ghost." Without even replying to Brynjolf's question, I dashed towards the orphanage.

"Oh Kynareth, please don't allow my worst fears to come true." I prayed to my patron deity, as I prepared myself for the worst.

 ________________________________________

 When I entered the orphanage, there was an eerie silence. There was nobody in there, no Hroar, Francois, Runa, Samuel, Constance, not even Grelod.

" _Where is everybody? I have a bad feeling about this. A really bad feeling._ "

"Do you know what time is it now?" When I looked back, Grelod was standing behind me, and she was carrying a riding crop.

"It's 2:15 pm. That's strange, I recall only giving you one hour of free time. Maybe I recalled it wrong because of my senility." She slowly approached me, and I found myself backed into a corner.

"Oh? What's this on your lips?"

" _Oh no, oh no! I forgot to wipe my mouth after eating that sweetroll!_ "

"Bread crumbs. Come to think of it, I heard that a loaf of bread was stolen earlier today in the market district. Ahh... but surely a nice and innocent girl like you had nothing to do with it, correct?" She kept inspecting me, like a snake sizing up its prey.

"But where you could you get bread from? I also don't recall giving you pocket money."

As her face drew closer to mine, I stupidly I tried to defend myself by saying, "It wasn't me! Honest! A man stole that bread, and he was chased by the guards and-"

Grelod then put her left index finger in front of her lips, motioning me to keep silent. Then suddenly, her eyes were filled with rage, and she swung the riding crop hard, and it hit my right leg directly.

"ENOUGH WITH YOUR LIES, YOU FILTHY WORTHLESS THIEF!" She then used her right leg to kick my stomach. I couldn't keep my balance and I fell to the floor. She then repeatedly hit my back and legs as I tried to protect my face by facing towars the ground.

Not content with the beatings, she yanked my hair and dragged me to a room next to the orphanage's storage room, the orphanage's dreaded torture room.

"GET UP! GET UP, I SAY!" she forcefully lifted me, threw my knit cap away, and shackled my hands to the wall.

"I would have let you go after that beating, but after I found out that you stole that bread, I changed my mind. Now, I will keep beating you here until you've learned your lesson!"

She then slapped my face hard with the twig, and with that hit, my nose was bleeding, and my vision grew worse with each hit.

I cried out for mercy, I writhed in pain, yet it was meaningless. My face, my body, my arms, my legs, none escaped Grelod's wrath.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! YOU HAVE BADLY DAMAGED MY REPUTATION!" Her hits grew stronger after she yelled directly in my damaged right ear, and blood could be seen from nearly every exposed area of my body.

After the fifty-fifth hit or so, I felt nothing. My body became completely numb. I couldn't tell how many hours have passed, I couldn't move my lips, and I couldn't even open my eyes.

Suddenly, I could feel that I was being dragged outside of the orphanage. "For a week starting from now, you'll be sleeping in the courtyard. If I hear you sniffling or crying, I'll come back here to give you more beatings. Got that?!"

Grelod then let me go, leaving me alone in the courtyard with nothing but my tattered clothes, knit cap, and dishwater. There was not a single healing potion in sight to treat my injuries with.

The pain... All I could think of was the welts and bruises in my body. The damages that the punishment dealt to my little body and mind were too severe, and my vision started to fail me.

 " _Oh Kynareth, is this your punishment for my sins? Father, Mother, where are you? Did I burden you so in the past that you abandoned me? I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please save me from this nightmare. Save me, I'm begging you._ "

 "Save... me..." With the last of my energy spent to utter those words, I fell to unconsciousness.


	5. An Unlikely Family

" _Mama, mama! Look, an injured cat! Poor little thing, her neck is bleeding._ "

" _What a terrible sight indeed... Don't worry, I shall put her out of her misery._ "

" _What? No, we shouldn't kill her! Look, she has a kitten! Her child will be very sad if her mom died!_ "

" _Oh? Then will you try nursing her? Are you capable of taking that responsibility?_ "

" _Don't worry ma! I'll promise that I'll take a good care of her, so that she can play with her child again!_ "

" _To think that you would care so much about an animal's well-being... I am proud to have a daughter like you. Very well, let us take them to our home._ "

________________________________________

Another dream, but this one was different than most dreams that I've had before. It was much more vivid, and yet, I still couldn't see the face of my mother.

Well, assuming that the person that I was talking to in my dream was indeed my mother, and not just someone that my head made up.

When I tried to open my eyes, I was blinded by bright lights. " _Where am I? Have I died and passed on to the afterlife_?"

"Oh, look, she's finally awake!" I heard a woman's voice, and it sounded nothing like Constance's or Grelod's. Could it be... Mother?

"I'm so glad you're okay. If Brynjolf and I didn't rescue you two days ago and brought you here, you might have died there."

" _Wait, did she just mention Brynjolf? Where am I?_ "As I came back to my senses, the face of the woman became clearer. She was a young adult Nord, with chestnut colored hair and icy blue eyes. I've never seen this woman before in my life.

"Hey, hey, take it easy. You may be fully conscious, but you are far from being fully recovered. Here, drink this." She then handed me a glass of water. I was really thirsty and desperate for anything that could quench my thirst, and so I finished it at a single gulp.

I handed her the empty glass, and she was pleased to see that I had no drinking difficulties. "Thank you, thank you so much. Can you please tell me your name? And... where am I?"

"Oh, you can call me Sapphire. You're now in the Ragged Flagon's cistern, which also functions as the headquarters of the Thieves' Guild. Our home sweet home."

I looked at my surroundings, and it felt like I was inside the city's sewers instead of a thieves' den. The stench was stronger than the one in the city's upper level, and I could see small skeevers scurrying about. It was a very large room however, and I could see people practicing their archery skills nearby, a couple of thieves talking about their previous job, and from a distance, I could see Brynjolf walking towards my bed.

The Thieves' Guild... Even if Brynjolf had assured me that I have nothing to fear from them, it was still a bizarre experience to find myself being rescued and treated by them, in their own headquarters.

"Finally, you're awake lass. Thank you for watching over her, Sapphire."

"No problem Bryn, I'd usually charge you for this, but I'll make an exception for her." Sapphire kissed my forehead, and then she walked to the opposite direction of the room.

"What... happened?" I was very dazed and confused. Didn't I lose my consciousness in the orphanage's courtyard?

"When you suddenly ran away from me lass, I was very worried. Though it was very unbecoming of me, I decided to follow you." Brynjolf then sat on the side of the bed, as he continued his story.

"I decided to hide behind the courtyard's walls, and when I saw that old woman coming inside with a riding crop on her hand, I knew that something bad would happen to you." Brynjolf's expression turned sour, as it was very painful for him to recount the events that transpired two days ago.

"Then I heard your cries of agony, your screams, the sound of flesh being abused, I couldn't take it anymore. I decided that no matter what, I'll bring you to safety. And so I asked Sapphire to come with me to the orphanage at night, and both of us took you here."

"Ha, Sapphire. She won't help even a maimed old woman unless there's money involved, but when I told her about your story, she immediately rushed towards the orphanage. I bet that you reminded her of her younger self." Even though Sapphire was quite a distance away, she could clearly hear Brynjolf's remark, and she threw a pebble at him.

"I, I don't know what to say... Thank you." I was moved to tears by Brynjolf's compassion. The idea that somebody would go out of their way to save a worthless street urchin like me was truly amazing.

"But you know lass, your recovery is truly outstanding. When we first brought you here, your body was almost completely covered in welts and bruises, but now they're barely noticeable."

He was right, the welts and bruises were barely noticeable, and yet, I could still feel the stinging pain in my body.

"I was so sure that it would take you at least five days to open your eyes, but it took you only two days. Miraculous, considering that Mercer allowed me to give you just one bottle of healing potion a day."

"Mercer? Who's that?"

"That would be me." A stern looking Breton man approached Brynjolf and I. The armor that he worn was different compared to the ones worn by the other thieves. It looked sturdier, and he exuded an aura of authority. Could he be the Guildmaster?

"So Brynjolf, it seems that your 'dearest daughter' has finally opened her eyes. I believe that the time to send her back to Honorhall Orphanage draws closer."

Back to Honorhall? I would rather die! "What? No! I don't want to go back there!" I pleaded to Mercer, with the most pitiful expression that I could make on my face. It didn't seem to affect him, unfortunately.

"Now listen here. One, we're thieves, not babysitters. Two, as you can see here, we're not rolling in money, we can barely support our own operations. Three, if the guards found out that you're here, they might flush us out for child abduction, and not even Maven can cover this up. And four, you're nothing but a liability to us, an extra mouth to feed, why should we keep you here?"

I couldn't come up with a convincing argument to rebut Mercer. " _He's right, I don't belong here at all, in fact, it would worsen my problems._ "

"But," I desperately tried to appeal to him, "I don't want to return to Honorhall, no matter what! You have no idea what a living nightmare is unless you're in my position!"

"Well I'm sorry to hear that kid, but I have an organization to run. Brynjolf will take you back to your home tomorrow, and if he refuses, then I'll do it myself." He ignored my pleas, and turned his back on me.

Unexpectedly, Brynjolf chuckled, which took both me and Mercer by surprise. "Mercer, even I could tell that you didn't mean everything that you just said. Not after what I told you yesterday."

Mercer snorted, and in a mocking tone he said, "Which one, the part where this girl expertly stole a sweetroll while nobody was looking? Even Edda, that crazy and paranoid beggar can do that!"

"No, the one when I told you how this girl is very special. You've already seen it with your eyes, even with minor treatment, her body quickly recovered from a grave injury."

Brynjolf tried his best to defend me, so I mustn't let him down. "There's... there's also one thing that I can do that nobody else can do. If you let me live here, I'll be a great asset to you."

Mercer raised his eyebrows, and he crossed his arms. "Truly? Let's hear it then."

"Whenever I focus on my mark, be it someone's pocket or a valuable item, I could feel that time itself suddenly slows down. I don't know where it came from, but it just works. I discovered this power last year, when I became a pickpocket in Skingrad."

I was fully expecting him to laugh, just like the jailors in Skingrad when I informed them of my special ability, but instead, Mercer was intrigued. "Interesting, would you like to give a demonstration then? I have a perfect target for you."

My body was not fully healed, but my vision and focus were still as sharp as ever. An opportunity to escape Grelod's glorified torture dungeon? I mustn't let it escape my grasp.

I gathered all of my strength, and I slowly stood up. I put on my trusty knit cap, and I looked at Mercer straight in the eyes. "Bring it on."

________________________________________

Mercer brought me to the guild's tavern, a place called the "Ragged Flagon". Not the first time I've been to a tavern, but there were no wenches there, just thieves, skeevers, and cheap ales.

A hulking man stood near the tavern's entrance, and he was carrying a bloodied axe that was holstered on his left hip. " _Even a filthy establishment like this needs a bouncer, I guess_."

"All right kid, turn your attention to the tables. See that old man over there?"

An elderly thief was sitting alone with several sacks of gold on his table, along with a big mug filled with ale. It seemed that he was celebrating something, although nobody celebrated with him.

"Delvin Mallory, our most senior member. Make no mistake, he's also one of the best thieves in the guild. He can hear the footsteps of a skeever five feet away from his location, and he can also plunder everything from even the most vigilant guard's pockets without him ever noticing."

"Ah, I can see where this is going. You want me to take one of his pouches without alerting him, right? Easy."

"Two, actually. If you can take something else from him, I might consider making you a member of the guild. Well? Think you can handle it?"

I nodded to Mercer. "Consider it done." I took a really deep breath, and then I made my way to the tables.

I kept my eyes focused on Delvin's table, and I sneaked towards him. Suddenly, everything around me slowed down. I could see a fly's wings flapping slowly, and even something like a person opening their mouth seemed to last forever.

I had no idea where this power came from. Was this something that I inherited from my parents? A gift from the Divines? Or was it a hallucination? " _Ah, I could look for my answers later, there's work to be done._ "

As Delvin's table is within my arms' reach, I quickly grabbed two sacks of gold while he was drinking, and in order to impress Mercer, I also took a steel dagger that Delvin sheathed behind his back. Before Delvin could finish his drink, I quickly headed back to Mercer.

With a proud expression on my face, I smugly showed off my spoils to Mercer. "Did you see that? It was much easier than I thought!"

"That was... impressive. I couldn't believe what I just saw. Not only did Delvin not notice that two of his sacks of gold were missing, you also took his dagger before he could finish his ale."

Finally. It took me a year and countless beatings, but somebody finally recognized my special talents, and it was like the sweetest music to my ears. Perhaps being a thief has always been what I'm destined to be since birth.

"Does this mean that I can stay here now?" Like a puppy expecting a treat, I was so excited that I tugged one of Mercer's arms. "Hands off, kid." He slapped my hands, which I admit, was a reaction that I truly deserved.

"Yes, I'm a man of my words. By my authority as the Guildmaster of the Thieves' Guild, I hereby declare you a honorary member of the Thieves' Guild."

"What? Honorary?" I was shocked to hear that. "I thought you were going to make me an official member?"

"Did I, now? Your memory is not as sharp as your wit, it seems." Once again, the stern look that he gave me when we first locked eyes returned.

"I said 'I might consider making you a member of the guild', which I did. When did I say that you will be an official member?"

" _Argh, dammit!_ _Honorary member... What does that even mean?_ " I was very disappointed, and my smile quickly disappeared.

"Hey, stop sulking. Tell you what, a month from now, I'll give you a test that will be much harder than this one. If you succeed, then I'll make you an official member of the guild, along with all the benefits that come with it. For now, your only boon is the privilege to live here."

"Really? You'll let me live here? Yay!" Even if I wasn't made an official member, the mere idea of being able to live anywhere but in the orphanage was the greatest reward that I could think of.

"Yeah yeah, congrats. Go talk to Brynjolf, tell him that you should be prepared for your initiation test next month. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to return these items to old Delvin before he throws a tantrum."

I gave Mercer a thumbs up, and I quickly headed back towards the cistern. My heart couldn't contain my excitement, as I wanted to see Brynjolf's reaction to the good news.

When I got back, I was so pumped that I loudly called out to Brynjolf's name, which got me the attention of several annoyed thieves. But I didn't care, it was one of the happiest moments of my life.

"Ah, there you are! How was it, lass?" I ran towards Brynjolf and I hugged him, injuries on my body be damned. 

"I did it! He let me stay here, now I don't have to go back to the orphanage!"

"I knew it, I knew that you could do it! I am so proud of you." He was so proud of me. Proud. A word that I haven't heard in a very long time.

" _Oh Kynareth, thank you so much. Thanks to you, I met an amazing person like Brynjolf._ "

"Umm, I think that it's still a bit early for a grand celebration, though."

"What is it lass? Did Mercer say something else?"

"He said that for now, I'm just an honorary member. My initiation test will be held next month, and he said that you should help me prepare for it."

Brynjolf pounded on his chest, and he said, "Leave it to me, lass. Me, along with the rest of the boys here, will make sure that your test will go swimmingly."

He then carried me to my bed, tucked me in a blanket and put my knit cap to a drawer next to my bed. "But for now, you must have some rest. Your training will start two days from now. We'll teach you basic skills like lockpicking and pickpocketing, and then after a few days, we will cover the more advanced subjects like self-defense and survival."

"Well then, good night, Natalia." Like Sapphire, he kissed me on my forehead.

"Good night, Brynjolf." I kissed Brynjolf's right cheek, and he slightly blushed afterward. His funny reaction caused me to giggle, and then I relaxed my body on the bed. My eyes felt heavy, and I drifted off to sleep.

 " _At last, my luck has turned around. I finally found people who love me, and who knows, maybe they could treat me much better than my own parents._ "


	6. Deadly Premonition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> According to one of my proofreaders, the pacing of the previous chapters is a bit rushed, and so I've decided to use this chapter to tell more about my character's relationship with the Thieves' Guild.
> 
> So, the vampire ritual scene has been moved to the next chapter.

When I first arrived in Riften, I was very frightened, as I feared that a member of the Thieves' Guild would end my pitiful life as soon as I stepped inside the gates. And yet here I am, sleeping among them, eating alongside them, training with them, and sharing my joy and grief with them.

The chapter that I met in Skingrad was nothing like them, as they wouldn't even bat an eye on orphans like me, not to mention that they treated me like a tool---disposable when it has served its purpose.

My heart was filled with happiness, it's as if I've finally reunited with my own family. But of course, I shouldn't get carried away and grow complacent yet, as they haven't accepted me as a full member of their group.

To the common folk, being a thief maybe one of the easiest occupations one could have. How difficult would it be to sneak up on people, pilfer their pockets, and then run away?

Very.

The training regimen that Brynjolf and the others gave me really put my streetwise to the test, and it didn't take long for me to realize that one year experience as a pickpocket wasn't enough to be a professional thief.

They taught me a lot of things, for example, more advanced pickpocketing and sneaking techniques, lockpicking, bowmanship, basic survival skills, and even how to defend myself in close quarter combat. I may be durable, but my physical strength itself is laughable. And so I was trained on how to wield daggers, one in each hand.

My swings were clumsy and wild at first, but thankfully my instructors were patient, and in a few days, I learned how to neutralize a potential threat without injuring them permanently. Of course, I still find the idea of harming a person to be very uncomfortable, so I'd rather not meet any threats on the job.   

I've also gotten more proficient with my special ability, but I soon learned that I couldn't maintain it for more than five seconds. Who knows, perhaps my ability will get stronger as I mature, and maybe someday I can figure out where it came from.

Evening Star 20th, 4E 201. Time marches on quickly, and before I knew it, a month has already passed. My time has come, today is the day to prove my worth and mettle to everyone within the guild.

I was so excited that when I opened my eyes, I found out that everybody was still asleep, except for the ones who were given night guard duty. I tried to close my eyes again, yet I couldn't sleep, and so I ran in circles around the cistern.

As I ran past one of the guards, he said, "Well, well, looks like someone is ready for her big day."  I stopped my routine, and approached the man--it's Brynjolf, with a sweet grin on his face."Yeah, I'm so pumped! Well... so pumped that I couldn't continue my sleep, unfortunately." I scratched the back of my head, and Brynjolf chuckled.

"Yeah, I'm so pumped! Well... so pumped that I couldn't continue my sleep, unfortunately." I scratched the back of my head, and Brynjolf chuckled.

"Lass, would you like to come with me for a moment? There's something that I would like to discuss with you." Despite his friendly tone, I could tell that he wanted to have a serious talk. I gladly nodded, and he led me to the cistern's exit, a ladder that leads to a secret room below Riften's cemetery.

It was a beautiful night outside, although the town itself was very quiet. There were very few people outside, and most of them were guards on patrol. They didn't seem to be bothered to see two people who are dressed in Thieves' Guild clothing, but of course, I've found out five days ago that most of the guards in Riften are on the Guild's payroll.

Brynjolf brought me to a bridge that was located right in front of Haelga's Bunkhouse. The view from the bridge was simply breathtaking, as I could clearly see Lake Ilinalta and its sparkling waters, illuminated by the two moons and the stars above.

"It's so beautiful." I was dazzled as I have never seen anything like this before, although for some reason, it feels slightly nostalgic. I feel like I have seen a similar spectacle  in the past.

"Aye,  it's a sight to behold indeed. All right lass," Brynjolf turned his attention towards me, with a very obvious sign of worry on his face. "I think I'll just get right to the point. I have bad news and good news for you, which one would you like to hear first?"

"The good one, please."

"Very well then. Mercer told me to keep this information a secret, but regardless of the outcome of your test, you will still be accepted as a full member of the guild. You've more than proved yourself worthy with your dedication and determination during your training. Congratulations."

On other occasions, I would probably hug Brynjolf right now, but his face still showed signs of anxiety and discomfort. "Thank you, very much! Okay... what's the bad news?"

"Thank you, very much! Okay... what's the bad news?"

"The bad news... Well, to be honest, it's rather silly, but there is no bad news."

Brynjolf's reply greatly confused me, if there are no bad news, then why does he look so uncomfortable? "Is there a problem? Did something happen?"

Brynjolf sat down, wth his back leaning his back against the bridge's railings, and I followed suit by sitting next to him with my legs crossed.

"It's really silly for a grown man like me to talk about this, but... Two days ago, I had a nightmare. It was truly terrifying, and it seemed so... real. In that nightmare, I was completely worthless."

"Worthless? What are you talking about?"

"I dreamt that I will lose you forever on this day. I was very close to where you were, but I couldn't stop it from happening. I dreamt that you lost your life in a terrible incident, and I was completely oblivious and powerless when that happened. You were screaming for help, you called out to my name repeatedly, I heard it all, and yet, I did nothing to help you."

"That's... terrible. But I've learned from the best! I'm pretty sure that no matter what happens, I will overcome the odds! So please stop worrying, okay?" I tried my hardest to encourage him, and though he was still feeling rather melancholic, Brynjolf's mood has slightly improved.

"Thank you, lass. You may not believe it, but your words of encouragement have greatly alleviated my worries. Well then, let's go back to the cistern, your test is waiting for you a few hours from now, and you must be at your full strength to pass it."

Just when Brynjolf was about to get back to his feet, I interrupted him by saying, "Ah, wait! I also have something to say to you!"

"Ha, okay lass, it's your turn now. Is it good news or bad news?""Well, good or bad, it depends on you. I know that it's rather sudden, but... will you adopt me?" I thought that Brynjolf would be shocked or flabbergasted upon hearing that, but instead, he laughed heartily.

"Well, good or bad, it depends on you. I know that it's rather sudden, but... will you adopt me?" I thought that Brynjolf would be shocked or flabbergasted upon hearing that, but instead, he laughed heartily.

"You want me to be your father? Are you sure, lass? I'm just a rogue who makes a living by selling snake oil to naive fools. I'm a terrible role model for children."

"Ahaha, I know... But, I'm serious. We've only been together for a month, but you've done so much for me. You gave me shelter, you've fed me, you've nursed me, and you've trained me. To care so much about a wretch like me... I don't know how to repay your kindness, that's why I wa- oof!"

Before I could even finish my sentence, Brynjolf hugged me, and I could feel his tears dropping down to my shoulder. "Yes, I accept. I've always treated you like my daughter, and I am truly glad that you want to have a charlatan like me to be your parent. Thank you."

I hugged him back, and even though I tried to hold my tears back, the moment was too emotional for my little heart. "Thank you very much... daddy."

 ________________________________________

The moment that I've been waiting for has finally come. I stood in the middle of the cistern, along with Brynjolf and Mercer, with all members of the guild's attention directed towards us.

I'd be lying if I say that I wasn't nervous, but I tried my hardest to stay calm.

Mercer broke the silence, and with a loud voice he exclaimed, "Brothers and sisters of the Thieves' Guild, today, we shall accept a brave soul into our proud family! Despite her age, she has managed to prove her skills in our craft, her persistence, and her dedication. She has shown all the makings and potentials of a great thief, however! There is one last test that she must overcome before she can proudly call herself a thief!"

" _Well, this is it. I've spent a month to prepare for this, I won't screw this up!_ "

To the northeast of Riften, there is an abandoned manor. I estimate that it will take you at least an hour to walk there from the gates of Riften. Nobody has ever been inside, but I've heard reports of various valuables, waiting to be pilfered. Take this sack," Mercer handed over a large sack, which I held with my left hand. "I want you to take as many valuables that you can find, and report any interesting findings. Return before dusk, or we may have to reconsider your membership. Good luck, shadow hide you."

In response, I saluted him with my right hand, and I said, "SIR, YES SIR!" I did that without thinking, and it was pretty embarrassing. I could hear the giggles coming from the spectators, and Mercer simply sighed.

Not wanting to waste any time, I quickly headed towards the exit, and I made my way to the city gates. I still find it rather jarring that the guards didn't seem to mind seeing somebody in a Thieves' Guild outfit carrying a large sack, with a clear intent to commit a crime. Oh well.

I followed the trail to the northeast, and after a while, I could see a large building from the distance. " _That must be my mark. All right then._ " I decided to pick up the pace, and walked faster to the manor.

Suddenly, I heard somebody calling my name from the back. It was the voice of a man, and when I turned my back, I saw Brynjolf running towards me.

"Brynjolf? What are you doing here?"

"Ah, sorry lass! But I'm afraid that I couldn't get that nightmare out of my head. I asked Mercer, and he said that I could accompany you."

"Well, I guess that since the place is unexplorable, I guess that it's pretty dangerous to send a newbie alone. Okay then, but please, don't help me too much, okay?" 

"I won't lass, even I want to see your progress. I'll just keep an eye for trouble." 

With Brynjolf alongside me, I felt much more confident. However, I started to think about the nightmare that he had. How terrifying could it be, that even a grown man like him couldn't get over it?  " _No, now's not the time to worry. I must pass this test with flying colors._ "

About five minutes later, we were merely a few paces away from the manor. The building doesn't look pretty old, it looked like it was abandoned recently. It was two stories tall, and all of its windows were opened. It fit the description of the haunted houses that Benignus used to talk about in his bedtime stories.  

Under  a large tree located not far from my mark, Brynjolf and I began our preparations. He shared his information regarding my mark. "All right lass, I'll tell you what I know. Supposedly, that house used to belong to a Daedra worshipper, but there haven't been any reports of anyone entering or exiting the building for three months. But, it never hurts to remain vigilant. Just keep your eyes peeled, and if you see something suspicious, please let me know. Is there anything that you want to ask before you go inside?"

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. "No, I'm ready. Wish me luck, daddy!"  

Quickly but stealthily, I headed towards the manor's back entrance. Surprisingly, the door was unlocked, and it wasn't creaky at all. The manor was truly abandoned.

" _Well, if I want to end this quickly, I better check around the house first. If there's really nobody around, I can quickly take everything that I need._ "

The back entrance led me towards the manor's kitchen. It was dusty and filled with cobwebs, and there were lots of stale food. There were few valuables there, except for some silver wares, but I figured out that it would be better to save them for last, as they would make an annoying clinking noise inside my sack. I left the sack in the kitchen, as I needed both hands to ensure that my scouting will go swimmingly.

From the kitchen, I headed towards the manor's main hall. There was a stairway that leads to the manor's second floor, but I decided that the best course of action was to inspect every door in the first floor first, just in case that a resident was still present.

I inspected every nook and cranny in the first floor, peeped inside every door, and remained silent for a few minutes, hoping to hear faint noises from a person. But there was nothing, except noises from  the manor's critters. The atmosphere in the second floor was no different-- the house was truly empty.

" _All right! This test is much easier than I thought! Now, to take every valuable objects._ " I quickly headed towards the kitchen to grab my sack, and on my way there, I tripped over something, and fell to the ground.

The noise from the impact would surely alert the manor's residents, but nothing happened. When I inspected the floor, I noticed that there was a bump that was hidden by the carpet. I unraveled it, and discovered a latch.

Usually, I would immediately try opening it to see what's beyond, but my mind suddenly recalled Brynjolf's nightmare.

"I better tell Brynjolf about this." I exited the manor and ran towards the place where Brynjolf was waiting for me. He was very surprised to see me running towards him without carrying my sack.

"What happened lass? Did somebody catch you in the act? Come, let's go!" He was so worried that he grabbed my hand, but I explained the situation to him.

"No no no! It's fine! I've checked everywhere, and there was nobody inside. I even made a loud noise, and yet nobody was alerted. There's something inside that I want to show you."

I brought Brynjolf inside the manor with me, and we headed towards the latch. He inspected it for a while, and then he decided to open it.

"There's a ladder here. I got a bad feeling about this... Will you wait for me here, lass? If five minutes have passed and I haven't returned, go back to the Guild quickly."

"All right. Please, be careful." Brynjolf then slowly descended down the ladder. Though it was dimly lit, I could see a room below. I left the latch open, in case something bad happened.

About five minutes later, Brynjolf returned, and he was perfectly fine. "There's a door below, but unfortunately, I forgot to bring my lockpicks. I couldn't see what's beyond it, but I'm pretty sure that there was nobody there.  Well? Would you like to investigate it?"

"Of course! Maybe that's where the owner of the house hides their most valuable treasures!"

Brynjolf nodded, and he patted my left shoulder. "Very well, I'll remain here. Should you encounter any trouble, just call out for my name, I'll do everything in power to rescue you."

I nodded, and then I slowly descended to the room below, with my sack in hand. When I exited the room, I came across a hallway that leads to a large steel door at the end. " _This must be the door  he was talking about._ "

Like the other parts of the house, there was an eerie silence. It feels like someone could ambush me at any time.

The door was tightly locked, but it was no match for the secret lockpicking technique that Mercer taught me. When I opened the door, it was really dark. And so, I decided to take one of the torches in the hallway with me.

"NATALIA? ARE YOU THERE?" I heard Brynjolf calling out to my name. Not wanting to worry my new father, I replied to him. "YES, I'M STILL HERE! I OPENED THE DOOR! DON'T WORRY, I'LL KEEP IT OPEN IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENED!"

The room beyond the door was very long, but straightforward. There was nothing interesting except for a few carvings on the wall. I guess that they're supposed to depict some sort of Daedric ritual, which means that the rumor does have some merit.

When I reached the end of the room, I saw something sinister. It looked like some sort of shrine to a Daedric Prince, but other than that, there were no valuables there. "Damn it, it's a bust. Time to go back."

Just as I headed back to the large door, I heard a loud slam. Did somebody close the door? "Oh no... BRYNJOLF! HELP!"

I tried to make a run for it, but before I could reach the door, my path was blocked by two figures covered in black robe.

"Wh-who are you people?!" I dropped my torch and sack on the ground, and I reached for my daggers that I sheathed on my hip. "Stay back! I won't hesitate to hurt you if you get in my way! BRYNJOLF, SAVE ME!"

One of the figures raised their right arm, and before I could even try to neutralize them, my body felt numb. I couldn't move my limbs, I couldn't even open my mouth. They must have cast a paralyze spell on me.

His associate  then approached me, with a small vial containing an unknown liquid on his hand. He forcibly opened my mouth, and made me drank the liquid. At first, I felt nothing, but soon, my eyes started to feel heavy, and I began to lose my consciousness.

" _No... Please... Not this.... This isn't how I want to meet my end... Somebody, please save me..._ " The thoughts of being rescued lingered on my mind, until it all faded to black.


	7. Innocence Lost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay... Now this is where the story starts to get really dark.
> 
> Like I said, the rape bit will not be described in great detail, but even though this is the shortest chapter, it's also the most disturbing... for now.

" _Mama? Where's papa? Why hasn't he returned?_ "

" _Your father... No, I'm afraid that I cannot tell you._ "

" _Umm... Okay. He promised me that we will have something nice to eat tonight, maybe he's looking for our dinner?_ "

" _...Come with me, we must go to a safe place._ "

__________________________________________________________________

Another dream. Like the one I had before I awakened in the Ragged Flagon's cistern, this dream was very vivid. Are they fragments of my memory? Did something bad happened to my father?

"...budding... developing...."

" _Urgh, my head... Who's there? I can't see anything...._ "

"Pure maiden... never defiled..."

" _What are they talking about? What's happening to me?!"_

"She'll make a worthy sacrifice to our lord. Very well, let's begin the ritual.'

_"Wait a minute, SACRIFICE?!_ NO! GET AWAY!  STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

I tried to run away, but I soon realized that my limbs were bound, and my vision was blocked.

"Ahh, looks like she's finally awake. Take her blindings away, let her see the last moments of her life."

I felt a man's hands moving behind my head, as he was unraveling the piece of cloth that covered my eyes.

To my horror, it turns out that I was shackled to the ground, surrounded by robed figures, who worn the same kind of robe as the ones who incapacitated me. There was a strange insignia on the ground I was shackled to, which seemed to be an altar of sorts to summon a demon.

I've also noticed that I wasn't wearing my knit cap, and my Thieves' Guild outfit was replaced by a silk white robe. "What happened to my clothes?! Did you... Oh no, by the Gods no!"

I was so hysterical, that I frantically thrashed about again, in a futile attempt to escape. One of the figures, who was dressed differently from the rest, approached me. He must be their leader.

"Fret not my child, we didn't defile your body. We merely prepared you, so that our lord will be pleased when you meet him." The man spoke as if he was comforting a child, but the sinister intentions in his eyes were clear to see, even if they were obscured by his hood.

"L-lord? You mean a Daedric Prince?! No, please! I'm just a poor girl, spare me my life from this monstrosity! There are plenty of buxom maidens out there, I'm just a worthless plain looking wretch! Surely your lord would be greatly displeased if you were to present me before him?" My attempt at negotiation clearly fell on deaf ears, as the cultist shook his head.

"Monstrosity? Oh no, this is a great honor! Today is the summoning day of our lord, and only the best candidate would be chosen as the candidate. We've captured plenty of women this year, but we've decided that you will be the one to be presented to lord Molag Bal. If we were to offer dirty slatterns like them, it would be a great insult to our lord,"

Molag Bal, the Daedric Prince of Domination. A name that I've heard about a long time ago. A name that I've been taught to fear, a name that belongs to a demon that will soon claim my life.

"C-c-captured? If you decided to pick me, what did you do to them, then?" I knew that it was a pointless question, but I couldn't help but to wonder. What became of the women that were rejected in favor of me?

"Oh, them? My child, take a look to your right." The men that were standing to my right moved aside, revealing the horrible sight that their body had previously hidden. Several corpses were strewn about, all of them were women who were in their early to mid-twenties, all of them stripped naked, and had their throat slit like slaughtered farm animals.

There was a single living woman there, however. She was kneeling on the floor, blindfolded. One of the cultists was standing next to her, with a bloodied serrated knife on his right hand.

Before I could even say anything, the cultist forcefully grabbed the woman's hair, and slit her throat swiftly. The woman had no time to even scream or protest, and she lied on the floor, convulsing rapidly until she passed away.

I couldn't comprehend the idea that such display of savagery was carried out before my very eyes, and I was so terrified that I let out a piercing scream. I couldn't open my eyes, and I cried out for Brynjolf, Kynareth, my parents, anyone who could save me.  

Clearly annoyed by my resistance, the cult leader motioned to one of his men, and he proceeded to use the piece of cloth that was previously used to cover my eyes, to gag my mouth.

"MMF! NGG, BFFFF!!!" No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make a coherent sentence with my mouth.

"Your tantrum is pointless, my child. We're in the lowest level of the manor, nobody can hear you screaming down here. Well then, I'm afraid that we don't have much time, and we can't afford to have our ritual ruined by your incessant screaming. Do not worry, you will not end up like them, for your fate will be much grislier... haha!"

The cultists gathered around me, and their leader started his incantation. "In the name of our glorious lord Molag Bal, Daedric Prince of Domination, Harvester of Souls, and Master of Coldharbour! In this holy day of Chil'a, we, your unworthy servants, offer you a sacrifice! May our offering please you, our lord, and may this sacrifice's soul proudly serve you for all eternity in your realm!"

" _NO! THIS CAN'T BE! I DON'T WANT TO BE TRAPPED IN OBLIVION FOREVER! BRYNJOLF! KYNARETH! FATHER! MOTHER! SAVE ME_!" Suddenly, the ground rumbled, and the insignia started to glow.

Suddenly, the ground rumbled, and the insignia started to glow.

A strange purple colored light emerged from the ground, and surrounded the circle, forming a magical barrier. And then, I felt that there was something coming. I could feel it in the air, it sent chills to my bones, and my heart beat faster as its presence drew closer.

The strange glow from the insignia was converging in a place below me, and it created a large and terrible looking gate, embellished with Daedric runes. Suddenly, a monstrous arm destroyed the gate in a single strike, and from the void where the arm emerged, a monstrous visage appeared.

A towering creature, wearing nothing but a loincloth embroidered with hideous faces, stood before me. The creature had a large tail, like an Argonian's, but it looked much more sinister. His face, along with his sharp teeth and the horns that emerged from each side of his head, instilled unimaginable terror on my head. His sharp eyes looked straight into mine, and I couldn't help but to freeze in fear.

My sobbing has stopped, and I couldn't even think of anything else but fear. Molag Bal, a mortal's worst nightmare in physical form.

The barrier disappeared once he emerged from the gate, and the cultists took a few steps back from the ritual circle.

"Where is it? WHERE IS IT?!" Unexpectedly, Molag Bal was furious. Even the cultists cowered in fear, as they had no idea what has greatly offended their lord.

"I cannot describe it, but I sensed it! Disgusting, deplorable, and an affront to my power! YOU!" Molag Bal pointed to the cult leader, who looked like he was going to die from terror. "Let this mortal speak, I demand an explanation!"

Quickly, the cult leader removed the gag from my mouth, and I could feel his hands trembling while he was doing so. " _What is going on here?"_

"Who are you, child?" Even when he wasn't yelling, his words were enough to scare me. 

"I-I'm a thief, from the Thieves' Guild chapter in Riften."

"Who are your parents?"

"I-I-I don't know! All I could remember is that they left me in Skingrad, and nothing else! Please don't kill me, I want to meet them at least once before I die!"

I thought that Molag Bal would kill me right there, after all, I didn't say anything that was truly interesting for a Daedric Prince like him. Instead, he laughed.

"Wh-what's so funny? "

"Ah, you foolish, cowardly mortal... Do not fear, under different circumstances, I would simply claim your soul, and turn it into my plaything for all eternity. No, I've decided that I will bestow my gift upon you, and then you can be on your way."

I wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, but I couldn't. A gift from a Daedra, especially a Daedric Prince, is in no way a good thing.

"Wh-what sort of gift?"

"Power. I shall grant you power to overcome any obstacles, a power that will surely help you achieve your goal quickly. I will turn you into a Daughter of Coldharbour, the greatest honor that your lowly kind can receive from me. This, is the power that your kind calls 'vampirism'."

"V-v-vampirism?! You're going to turn me into a vampire? No, I don't want it! Just let me go!"

"You do not have a choice on the matter, mortal! I shall claim your maidenhead, and I will savor every moment of it!"

"NO! DON'T DO IT! I'D RATHER DIE! AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

"What a nuisance! I suppose that if we commence the ritual while you are still conscious, you will die before it is complete. In that case..." Molag Bal  prepared a spell, and he unleashed it directly to my body.

A familiar sensation rocked my body, as my body went numb, and my eyes started to feel heavy once again. However, at that moment, I knew that my fate was sealed. There was nothing that I could do, that demon will ravish my body and turn me into an abomination.

At that moment, I was dead.


	8. Journey to the Northwest

Now picture this: It's late at night, and what you're doing doesn't seem right. The moon is high up in the sky, and you can feel it coming down.

Something got a hold on you, something there that you can't see.

You are living in a nightmare.

Now imagine that you are that unseen creature. A night stalker, a ravenous beast, a ghastly apparition.

That's who you are, and who I am. I kept telling myself that it was a just terrible nightmare, but the facts say otherwise.

When I awakened, I found myself laying on the ground behind a small house, with the sight of the stars in the night as the first thing that I saw. My body felt so cold, and yet I was fully dressed from head to toe.

My knit cap, my Thieves' Guild outfit, everything seemed to be in order, until I found out that they were all covered in blood.

I gathered all of my strength, and stood up. When I looked around, I immediately recognized that I wasn't in Riften, but the cool breeze and the birch trees confirmed I was still within the vicinity of The Rift.

It was a small village, one that I don't recognize, as I have never been there before. There was nothing but eerie silence, and I knew that I was responsible for it, one way or another.

Sure enough, when I arrived in the village center, I was greeted by a horrible spectacle.

Corpses, strewn all over the place. Men, women, children, animals, it was a massacre.

Some of the corpses were severed in two, some had their genitalia severed, and a few of them barely resembled human beings at all, as their blood were completely drained, leaving only their dried out husks.

I couldn't believe it. I dropped to my knees, bashing my head to the ground, hoping that I would wake up from this terrible nightmare.

There was no mistaking it, at some point, the cultists brought me to this village. And when I first awakened as a vampire, I had no control over my body, and the beast inside couldn't contain its bloodlust, and proceeded to kill everyone in sight.

That foul demon... Molag Bal! He took my innocence and he... and he... turned me into a bloodsucking monster! Damn it, damn Kynareth, damn the Divines, damn them all! I've wasted seven years of my life devoutly worshipping a deity who won't even protect me!

" _An amusing sight. Don't you think so, my dear pawn?_ " Suddenly, I heard a voice. I recognize that voice anywhere, that condescending, terrible voice!

"WHERE ARE YOU? WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME?!" Like a beast looking for its prey, I searched all over the village, looking for the source of Molag Bal's voice.

" _Why, indeed? At first, I doubted your potential, but when I saw you slaughtering these worthless mortals, you have exceeded my expectations._ "

It was strange, no matter where I go, the voice's intensity remained the same. It neither gets louder nor less audible. "SHOW YOURSELF!"

" _Ah, why don't you inspect your belongings? Do you not notice something different?"_

I frisked my body, looking for something that doesn't originally belong to me, and when I looked down, I noticed that I was wearing a golden pendant. "What is... this?"

" _You've found it, good. It allows me to see everything that you do. Any actions that you have taken, any person that you have talked to, everything. It also allows me to comm-"_

I've had enough. Just hearing his voice was enough to make my blood boil. I ripped the pendant, and threw it away.

I had no idea what to do next. There's no way that I could return to Riften, I doubt that even Brynjolf would accept me in this condition, and even if he did, the other members of the Thieves' Guild do not share his sentiment towards me.

" _Did your parents not teach you that it's rude to interrupt someone while they are talking? Or have you forgotten that too?"_

Molag Bal's voice intruded upon my head once again, and I saw that the pendant has returned to me. "What?! How is this possible?!"

" _That pendant, or rather, collar, is a proof that you are my slave. No matter if you have destroyed it, threw it away, ate it, it will eventually find its way back. As long as you are within my influence, there is nothing that you can do about it._ "

I couldn't believe that this is truly happening. Not content with defiling my purity and turning me into a vampire, he would deprive me of my freedom too?

"Why..." I kneeled to the ground and wept, cursing my fate. "Why are you doing this to me? What do you want from me?"

" _A task. One that only you can carry out. Do not worry, Molag Bal always rewards his servants well._ "

"And what can you possibly offer, huh? You think I care about money or power?!"

" _A reunion with your parents. Is that not what you have always wanted?_ "

"A reunion with my parents? No, you're lying! There is no way that you know anything about them!"

" _Truly? And what do you know about them? You don't  even know everything about yourself, do you?_ "

He was right. There are some things about myself that even I don't know much about, like my special powers for example. Where did it come from? Is it something that I've always been able to do, or something that awakened due to the rough days that I've had in the streets of Skingrad?

"Very well, what do you want me to do?" I sighed heavily, as I still couldn't believe that I was taking orders from the same creature that has violated me.

" _I want you to destroy Lamae Bal. She is the first mortal who received my blessing, but she dares to challenge me and my authority. She has gathered followers all over the world, calling herself the 'Blood Matron', and she even dared to profane my gift by creating new bloodlines! She must be annihilated, and when she does, I shall ensure that she will be subjected to an endless torture in my realm!_ "

Lamae Bal... I've heard her name before. Like me, she was unwillingly turned into a vampire by Molag Bal, and being the first vampire, she must be really powerful.

To be honest, I don't find the idea of killing a person to be comfortable, even if that person is a vampire. Especially considering that she experienced through the same hell that I went through.

Still... If I destroy her, then I will finally be reunited with my parents, and that's the greatest prize that I could have ever asked for.

"Question. Why me? I'm just a little girl, and besides, you are a Daedric Prince. Surely you have thousands of powerful followers?"

" _Slaves are meant to carry out their master's orders, with no questions asked! But for now, I will tell you the reason why. One, I cannot easily enter your realm, that ritual that you have witnessed can only be done once a year, and I cannot stay for a long time. Two, despite her status, her location is unknown to me. And three, none of my followers stand a chance against her. But you, you are special. You get stronger with every blood that you drained, meaning that your potential is limitless._ "

"In other words, you want me to kill so many people in order to get stronger?! Have yo-"

Suddenly, I sensed that somebody was coming. I could smell their scent from afar, just like a true predator.

Four people, and they were quickly approaching me. I've decided to hide in the nearby shed, knowing that running away was not the  wisest choice.

"We know that you're there, beast! Come out of your hiding!" A man's booming voice called out to me, demanding me to reveal myself.

What should I do?  Should I explain that I didn't kill those people on purpose?

No, that's stupid. No matter how you look at it, the fact remains that there was a bunch of corpses strewn all over the ground, and there was a vampire hiding near the killing grounds. Of course the vampire was responsible.

" _Well well, fresh meat. Now's your chance to test your new powers, pawn._ "

Damn it, what should I do? I don't want to kill people, but I also don't want to get hurt. If I run away, they will chase me until they capture me.

No... There was only one way to solve this. This was the only moment where I got to make an important decision in my life.

"Come out, or we'll set this village on fire! On the count of three! One, tw-"

"No, I surrender! Don't set this place on fire!"

" _What do you think you are doing?! They will kill you!_ "

"Shut up! I refuse to be your slave, I decide my own fate!"

I slowly walked out of my hiding spot, with my hands raised in the air. I faced towards the group of people who called out to me, and I knelt on the ground. They must be vampire hunters, as they were heavily armored, and heavily armed.

"You there, girl! Did you see what happened here?"

I killed those innocent people. I have committed a terrible crime. Death was the only way for me to atone for my sins.

"I... I did it! Can't you see? I'm a vampire, I killed them! Kill me now, before I hurt more people!" I was so pathetic, I couldn't even face my death with dignity, and I wept like a baby.

The men were murmuring something, and because of my improved senses, I could hear that they were wondering what to do next.

One of them suggested that they should take me with them and find a cure for me, as it was obvious that I was turned very recently. And one of them suggested that they should kill me on the spot, and I agree with that notion.

One of the men approached me, and he brandished a large silver warhammer. That weapon could easily shatter a troll's skull, and if he were to use that on me, I wouldn't feel anything. The rest of the men aimed their crossbows at me, just in case that I were to make any sudden moves.

"Get on the ground with your hands behind your back."

I complied with his demands, as I resigned myself to fate. How will I be judged in the afterlife?

"Please... end it quickly."

"May Arkay have mercy on your soul, child."

I closed my eyes, and I briefly felt a stinging sensation on my head, and then there was nothing but black.

Finally, my pathetic life had come to an end.

________________________________________

"This... cannot be." I opened my eyes, and I found myself standing, with a bloodied dagger on my right hand and the head of one of the men on my left hand.

"WHY? HOW?! WHY AM I ALIVE? THEY JUST KILLED ME! NO, NO, NO, ARGGGHHHHHH!!!!!"

" _Hahahaha! Did you think you can get away that easily? I have already considered the possibility that you will try to commit suicide, which is why I have taken the necessary measures."_

I slumped to the ground, as I had run out of words and ideas. Even death was not an option, I couldn't escape from Molag Bal's grasp.

" _I have taken your soul, so it does not matter how you died, as you will be resurrected. That collar on your neck also allows me to take control of your body, whenever I want to_."

It kept getting better and better. Not only did he turn me into his slave, he also turned me into his puppet.

"Then why don't you just take over my body? I don't want to commit atrocities in your name, ever!"

" _There is no satisfaction in that. Your mind is too feeble, conquering it is child's play for me. I am giving you a chance, and if you succeed, you will get what you want, and you are free to go. Worry not, I shall not take over your body again, unless you are trying to shirk your duty."_

Blast it. Damn it. Curses.

"So I had no choice to begin with, right? But, I don't know where to go."

" _Start by gaining more power. Can you sense it in the air? The faint scent of blood? Seek for other mortals that have been blessed with the same gift as yours, their blood will significantly empower you."_

The same gift... He must be talking about other Daughters of Coldharbour. I closed my eyes, and I don't know how I did it, but I could smell it. To the northwest, there was a familiar, but faint smell. It must be what I'm looking for.

Never in my entire life would I have ever thought that I would be enslaved by a Daedric Prince, and turned into a bloodsucking creature of the night. But, I'll do my best to keep true to my morals, and I will not let myself lose control of my original self.

I put my dagger behind my back, and I adjusted my knit cap. I headed northwest to follow that smell, and due to my new powers, I could run much faster than before, which greatly expedited my progress.

And so, my journey finally began.


	9. Your Best Friend

"*huff* *huff* How much further do I have to go?"

I thought that being a vampire would mean that I would no longer be held back by limitations of a mortal existence, but it was not entirely true.

Or perhaps my body was simply getting used to its new condition, and I haven't unlocked even a tiny fraction of my full potential.

I have traveled so far that the village was no longer to be seen, but the source of the scent was still so far away. I may have underestimated the strength of my own senses, and the source could be somewhere on the other side of the province.

It was midnight, and because of the events that have transpired today, I've decided to take shelter somewhere in the forest. I need to gather all of my strength and willpower, if I were to get through this ordeal with my sanity intact.

"So... thirsty. Where can I find water?"

I stopped walking and stood still. I closed my eyes, and I listened to my surroundings. I could hear various things in the wilderness, like the sound of a snake slithering on the grass, a bear's roar, and the sound of a flowing stream, about one hundred paces to the east from my location.

When I arrived at the stream, I wasted no time to start drinking water, but, I felt something strange.

No matter how much water that I have drank, my thirst wasn't quenched. And what was at first, a simple desire to satisfy my needs, turned into a burning sensation in my throat.

Blood. That's what I was truly looking, no, craving for.

"No! What am I thinking?! There is no way that I would start drinking blood!"

I tried so hard to resist the urge, and I drank more and more water from the stream. It's as if the water merely passed through, my throat without extinguishing the flames in my throat.

The pain that I felt was more excruciating than Grelod's worst punishment, and I couldn't help but to give in.

My mind recalled the bear's roar that was coming from somewhere around here. And sure enough, as I looked around the area, I discovered a cave nearby, which must have served as its den.

" _Just... a bit. I won't try to kill it, I'll just knock it out, drink some of its blood, and leave._ "

I entered the dark, damp cave, to look for the bear. Even though it was pitch black, my eyes could see clearly inside the cave, as if it was illuminated by a bright light. Being a vampire does have its boons, I guess.

It didn't take long for me to reach the bear, and I started to sneak as I drew closer to it.

The bear was huge, with brown fur covering its body. Its head was facing away from me, and it didn't make any noises, save for its snores.

It was truly strange. There I was, standing before a huge beast, but there was no sign of fear in my heart. Somehow, I knew that I could easily overpower the bear, and I saw it as nothing but a food source.

"Looks like it's asleep... I hope that I don't have to resort to violence."

However, something unexpected happened when I approached the beast.

"Is someone there?"

A woman's voice suddenly echoed through the room, and without any second thoughts, I quickly retreated to the nearest hiding spot.

"I know that you're there. Look, if you're not trying to harm anyone, then you have nothing to fear. Don't worry, I'll make sure that Mischa here won't hurt you."

Where did this woman come from? There wasn't a single hint of her presence. With my hands raised to the air, I slowly walked to the woman, who was sitting next to the sleeping bear.

"Oh, hi there little buddy! Don't be scared, you have nothing to fear here."

I took a closer look at the woman, and I sensed no sign of life in her body. It must be the reason why I didn't detect her presence.

"Umm... thanks. I was just very surprised, I've never thought to meet another... vampire."

"So you're like me, huh? Anyways, nice to meet you! My name is Dia. That's D-I-A, not Deea. What's your name?"

"Natalia, nice to meet you, Dia."

"It's nice to meet another sentient creature of the night every once in a while, you know? So what brings you here? There is pretty much nothing that this place can offer you, except shelter."

Dia was clad in black armor, and she was wearing a black hood. Her face was obscured by an ebony mask, which concealed all of her facial features except for her red, snake-like eyes, which confirmed her vampiric identity. However, despite her intimidating appearance, she seemed to be a friendly and kind soul.

"I'm so... thirsty. I'm looking for... Argh!"

Suddenly, I felt a stinging sensation on my head. I felt like it could explode at any time, and my eyes started seeing red.

"Oh! Hold on, I have something in my bag that can help you."

As Dia perused through her bag, my thirst grew stronger. It was as if my throat would burst into flames, and I felt like I would lose control of my body again, this time due to bloodlust.

"Here, drink it quickly." Dia handed over a rather large bottle of blood, which I quickly swiped from her hands.  
  
Just as I thought, the moment the blood coursed through my throat, the burning sensation disappeared. It tasted so sweet, even sweeter than grape juice. Also, the pain in my head has dissipated. It was only one bottle, and yet I feel like I have had a full course meal.

"Ahh. That was... a relief. Thank you so much, and sorry for rudely taking it from your hands."

"That's okay, I know what it feels like. So! Judging from your reaction towards blood, I assume that you were just recently turned?"

"I... don't want to talk about it. It was just so painful to me." My expression grew gloomier as I recalled the events that have transpired, and the deaths that I have caused.

"I see. Sorry, if my question offended you. Anyways, you look very tired both physically and mentally, so why not take a rest? I'm sure that we will get to know each other better the next day."

I nodded and smiled at her. I was so relieved to see a vampire who still retained most of her humanity.

"Okay. Thanks for your hospitality."

"Here, you can use Mischa's body as a pillow. Don't worry, she won't mind, and it's really comfy."

I laid down on the floor, with my head leaning on Mischa's body.

"There we go, okay, good night!"

I closed my eyes, and my mind started to drift into unconsciousness.

It has truly been a bizarre day. I was a human when I started the day, then I was kidnapped by a group of Daedra cultists, turned into a vampire by a Daedric Prince, and I ended the day as a vampire, with an unusually friendly vampire sleeping next to me.

"What did I do to deserve all this? I wish that this is just a nightmare that will end once I wake up."

\--------------------------

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead!"

Dia's voice awakened me from my deep slumber, and I wasted no time to get on my feet. Mischa was nowhere in sight, but I could hear her roar outside of the cave.

"Wow, you must be really tired. You've slept much longer than I did. Here, have a drink. I got it from a dead bandit that Mischa just mauled."

I drank the blood, but even though I knew that it belonged to a filthy miscreant, the taste was no different than the blood that I had drunk the night before. Thanks to it, I could feel that my energy has been fully recuperated.

"That's a good girl. Okay then... Do you mind sharing your story with me?"

"Well, it's the least that I can do to repay your kindness. What do you want to know?"

Dia scratched her head, which was still covered by her hood. On a closer inspection, I noticed that she hasn't removed her mask.

"Well, I don't think that it's polite to pry into people's past, so I'm just going to ask you this--where are you headed?"

"I don't know. I'm just following this... familiar scent that I picked up. It's somewhere to the northwest from here, and I don't know what it is or even where it is. I just feel like I should go there."

"Hmm, an adventurer, eh? Well, you're in luck! I'm an adventurer too! Well... more like an aimless wanderer, really."

"So, what's your story, Dia?"

"Oh boy, have a seat. It's going to be a boring and long story, but I'll try to keep it short."

We sat down on the ground with our legs crossed, and I paid close attention as Dia recounted her tale.

"I'm not from Skyrim. I've been traveling all around Nirn for eight years, looking for the wonders that this world has to offer, until one day, when I stumbled upon this ancient Nordic ruin. It wasn't very big, and bizarrely, it was empty. Devoid of any kind of inhabitants, not even draugrs. Do you know what they are?"

"Nope."

"Living corpses! Ancient Nordic warriors who were cursed to live an eternity in ancient Nordic ruins for the crime of serving the dragons during the Dragon War. Anyways, back to my story. At the end of that dungeon, I found a large, conspicuous chest. It was not Nordic in origin, and in fact, I believe that it was put there pretty recently. In that chest, I found a set of armor, a cloak, a hood, and a mask."

"The one you're wearing right now?"

"Yes. When I put on the mask, nothing happened. And then I wore the hood, cuirass, gauntlets, boots, everything that I could find inside. When I put on the last piece of equipment, a pendant shaped in the image of Daedric Prince Molag Bal, something happened. Suddenly, spikes started to emerge from the mask, and it pierced through my face, all the way to my brain!"

"Ah! That's terrifying! What happened next?!"

"I thought that I was a goner, but then I found myself waking up in the middle of a settlement that was located near the ruins... Next to the dead bodies of the inhabitants. These things on my body... They turned me into a vampire."

I felt bad for asking. Turns out that I wasn't the only one who had to experience hell, and forced to live a life as a monster.

"I'm sorry to hear that. It must have been painful for you to tell that story."

"Ahaha, that's fine! It's no use to sulk, what's done is done. To be honest, I don't have any set goals in my life, but my top priority is to remove this darn mask and armor."

"May I?"

"Oh, be my guest. Even Mischa didn't have the strength to take it off."

I took position in front of Dia, and grasped the mask using both of my hands. I tried my hardest to pull the mask off, so hard that when I accidentally let it go, I was blown away, and my body hit the cave's walls.

"Oh my goodness, are you okay?!"

"Urgh, I'm fine. It's so strong... I've tried as hard as I could, but it didn't even budge a bit."

"Thanks for trying, though. You know, I've tried so many methods to get it off, and I have even tried to slice my own face, but it also didn't work. Whatever this thing is, it must be a Daedric artifact."

"You've been traveling all over the world, right? Surely you've met a scholar or mage who dabbles in Daedric arts?"

"Unfortunately... I don't know anyone with an extensive knowledge regarding Daedric artifacts, so I don't think that this mask and armor are going to go away pretty soon."

With our similar fates and her experience as an adventurer, Dia would make an excellent companion. I took a deep breath, as I gathered all of my courage to ask her to join me on my journey.  
  
"Hmm, you know Dia, we have so much in common that I think that we are destined to meet here."

"Really? Do you have a problem with an annoying Daedric artifact too?"

"Yeah, see this thing right here?"

"Umm... What thing?"

"This one, the one I'm pointing at."

"Your... chest? I don't see anything remark- Oh, sorry!"

"Not that! This penten-"

"Penten-what?"

"This... Peditn-dammit!"

I don't know why, but whenever I tried to mention the fact that I had a pendant on my personage, I would suddenly get tongue tied. And it seemed that Dia couldn't see it. Curses, I bet that Molag Bal did this so I couldn't find a way to break free from his influence.

"Are you all right? I don't understand anything that you just said. Was it the artifact's doing?"

"Yeah. It won't allow me to describe its appearance to you, and this thing has been nothing but trouble ever since I got it. Somebody put it on me without my consent, and this thing can conyat-urgh!"

"Let me guess... It also won't allow you to describe what it can do?"

"It would seem so."

Molag Bal had truly thought of everything. He ensured that nobody can save me from my predicament, by blocking every possibility that I could use to escape from his grasp. I doubt that he would set up such an elaborate plan, if all he wanted from me is to kill an ancient vampire cult leader.

"Okay then, what's next? Are you planning to continue your journey?"

"Yup. There's nothing else for it."

"Well then, will you let me join you? Us unfortunate vampires gotta stick together, you know?"

"Of course! To be honest, I was afraid that you won't accompany me. We've gotten along so well."

"Woo! Okay, just let me pack my stuff first, and then let us be on our way. Why don't you wait outside? The sun should have set already at this hour."

Just like what Dia said, when I walked outside, it was already dark. I could smell a horrible stench nearby, coming from the bandit corpse that Dia had previously mentioned. Mischa was sleeping next to the corpse, she must have been so tired after eating a whole person.

"All set! Shall we start our adventure now?"

"Umm, don't you want to say goodbye to Mischa first?'

"Ah, don't worry, I don't even know much about her. To be honest, I know her for almost as long as you do, and the reason why she didn't attack us is because I controlled her mind."

"You can do that?"

"Pfft, all vampires can do that, silly! Don't worry, I'll teach you what I know. For now, let's go!"

"All right then... Onwards to whatever I'm looking for!"

The path to my destination was a long and arduous one, but with Dia beside me, I managed to easily overcome it. She wasn't only just an excellent companion, she has also proven herself to be an excellent mentor. Not only did she aid me in my time of need, she also helped me to get used to my new vampiric powers.

We've only known each other for a while, and yet I felt like I was under the watchful eye of a kind older sister that I have never had.

Friendship, truly a marvelous thing.


	10. Awakening

"Here we are. The scent is getting stronger, and the source must be somewhere deep inside this cave."

It took us three days, but we finally arrived. All the way from The Rift to The Pale, the scent brought us to a cave in the mountains. 

"Let's go." I adjusted my knit cap, and marched inside the cave. 

"Oh, wait a minute!"

"What's wrong? We've come so far, we can't go back now."

"I know this place, it's called Dimhollow Crypt. If I remember correctly, vampires all around Skyrim have been searching for something here. Supposedly, it's an ancient item that can greatly strengthen a vampire's power, and I bet you that they're still inside, looking for it. We may not be able to avoid conflict with them, are you prepared for that?"

"No problem," I brandished my two daggers that I sheathed on my back, and entered a combat stance. "I've been taught how to defend myself. I don't like fighting, but I won't hold back if our safety is on the line."

"Eager to fight, aren't you?  But uh, let's try to talk with them first. If they can see reason, nobody has to get hurt."

"Very well," I put my daggers back in their sheaths, "let's go."

Dia and I entered Dimhollow Crypt, cautiously. Just like what Dia had predicted, not long after we entered, we encountered two vampires, along with a strange monstrous beast. It looked like a normal-sized dog, but its body was furless, with a jet black skin. Its eyes were like red orbs, and its teeth were jagged and sharp, they could easily rip through steel. 

The beast was feeding on a corpse dressed in a priest's robes. There must have been a fight here recently. The vampires were conversing with one another, and their voices echoed through the room.

"These Vigilants never know when to give up. I thought we'd taught them enough of a lesson at their hall." said the male Dark Elf vampire.

His female counterpart nodded, "To come in here alone... A fool like all the rest of them."

"He fought well enough though, Jeron and Bresoth were no match for him."

"Ha. Those two deserved what they got. Their arrogance had become insufferable."

One of the vampires, the female one, noticed our presence. She approached us and said, "Halt! The Volkihar Clan is conducting an investigation here. Even if you are vampires like us, you are not allowed to enter!"

Dia approached the Dark Elf, and with a friendly tone she said, "Hi there! Sorry, but we have business here. We're just looking for something, and we're not trying to hurt anyone."

"Like I said, you ca-, wait..." The vampire suddenly diverted her attention from Dia to me. For some reason, she became very cautious after looking at my face.

"What are you doing here, Scion? Our clan have no feud with your kind."

"Scion? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't you dare mock my intelligence! Now begone! If you take another step forward, we will not hesitate to strike you down."

Her hostility was expected, but her reasoning was not. A Scion? I thought that I was a Daughter of Coldharbour? Or at least that's what Molag Bal said. However, no matter what, there was no way that I would turn back after coming so far.

"Sorry," I brandished one of my daggers, and pointed it at her, "whatever is inside this cavern can bring me one step closer to my goal, and I won't hesitate to harm you if you get in my way."

"Then so be it," without warning, the Dark Elf hurled a fireball at me, which I barely dodged, although it grazed my cheeks. It happened so quickly that I didn't even have the time to prepare myself.

I unsheathed my other dagger, and focused on my foe. Not wanting to waste any time, I decided to try using my special ability on them, and it worked. Perhaps it was due to my new form, but I felt like my ability was much stronger than usual. It was as if everyone in the room, except me, completely stopped moving.

Quickly, I proceeded to attack the vampires' limbs, decapitating their hands and feet using my daggers. I knew that it was unnecessarily brutal, but it was the only way that I could think of to incapacitate vampires without killing them. Besides, I knew that their limbs would regenerate eventually.

When my ability's effect finally lapsed, the vampires were shocked to see that their limbs were separated from their body, and the Death Hound that accompanied them was visibly terrified.

"What... did you do? Why didn't you kill us?"

"I don't like the idea of killing people, especially if they couldn't even fight back. Let's go, Dia."

Dia stood still, not uttering a word, with her eyes fixated on me. It seemed that even she didn't expect me to wield that much power. "Oh, right! Let's head on inside."

Dimhollow Crypt, as its name suggests, was terribly lit. Luckily, navigation wasn't much of a problem when you have night vision. As we walked deeper into the darkest depths of the cavern, we encountered more and more hostile vampires, but I also quickly neutralized them. Dia resorted to using Destruction magic in battle, and like me, she didn't try to kill anyone, and incapacitated them instead.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"  Dia's question caught me off-guard, and it brought our journey to a halt for a while.

"Sure, what's on your mind?" 

"Well, I had no idea that you are a Vampire Lord. I mean, there's no mistaking it, you were using your supernatural reflexes to deal with your enemies."

"Supernatural reflexes? There's a name for it?" I raised an eyebrow, as I wasn't expecting Dia to know more about it.

"You didn't know? Wow, to think that you would be able to use such power, yet knowing so little... Oh, no offense intended!"

"Never mind that, let's go. The scent is getting stronger, we must be very close to our goal."

First "Daughter of Coldharbour", then "Scion", and now "Vampire Lord". I wonder what different term that people would start to use next to refer to me.

After an hour of walking, we arrived at a large gate. Beyond it was a large spider, which was three times larger than Mischa, and next to it was the desiccated corpse of a vampire that it just killed. A large grate separated us and the spider, and it was the only thing that prevented it from charging at us. For some reason, Dia seemed happy to meet such a  monstrous creature.

"Perfect, I think that this is the time for you to start learning how to control animals. Don't worry, this should be very easy for you."

I abhor spiders. Yes, I'm friendly to all animals, but I make an exception to those hideous, eight-legged monstrosities. "Oh no no no no no, you know what? Forget about it, I would rather die than getting closer to that thing!"

Dia giggled like a teenager, but I couldn't blame her for laughing at my reaction.

"Hehehe! It's okay, this distance is good enough. All you have to do is to look directly at its eyes, and try using your mind to send suggestions into its head. For example, 'You will let me pass', or 'I'm your master now, obey my commands!', or 'Hey buddy, be a pal and let me through, will you?'."

"How about 'Go to the deepest bowels of Oblivion, you eight-legged freak'?"

"That... works too, but the poor thing will be very terrified. Or you can just kill it, it's your call."

At this point, I would rather throw a dagger directly at  the creature's head, but part of me would prefer to leave this place without any casualties. I mustered all of my courage, and threw a pebble at it so that it would direct its attention to me.

When our eyes locked, my mind hurled all of the expletives, insults, and threats that I could think of to that spider, and it immediately climbed all the way to the upper parts of the cave, as it tried to get away from me as quickly as possible.

"So cold."

"Whatever."

I pulled a lever that was placed next to the gate, and the grates were raised. It turned out that the spider was guarding a door, and I could sense that the source of the scent was waiting beyond it.

My first objective was finally about to be completed... I took a deep breath, and entered the room behind the door along with Dia.

\-------------------------- 

When we entered the room, I immediately sensed the presence of a living person nearby. I motioned to Dia to keep our voices down, and we proceeded to look for a safe spot to hide. 

"I'll never tell you anything, vampire. My oath to Stendarr is stronger than any suffering you can inflict on me." 

From the stone railing that we used as a hiding spot, we could see a man being interrogated by a group of vampires and their thrall below. The man was on his knees, with his hand bound behind his back. Judging by the amulet that the man wore, he must be a priest or a vigilant of sorts. 

With a sword drawn, one of the vampires approached the man. "I believe you, Vigilant. And I don't think you even know what you've found here." The Vigilant closed his eyes, as he had accepted his grim fate.

"I WON'T LET YOU!" I triggered my reflexes, and leapt over the railing with my daggers brandished. Before the sword cleaved through the bound man's neck, I severed the limbs of the vampires, and knocked their thrall unconscious by hitting her head using my dagger's pommel.

"What... What in the?! What in Oblivion are you doing?!" The would-be killer snapped at me, and I replied by pointing my weapon at his face.

"You worthless coward! I will show no mercy to you!"

I repeatedly stabbed his face with my dagger, first his eyes, mouth, and finally, his skull. I let out a piercing scream, and with all my strength, I pierced his temple, and I could feel my dagger all the way in his brain. The vampire couldn't even scream in pain when my dagger was lodged inside his skull, and his body convulsed rapidly before he finally died.

In the heat of the moment, I bit the vampire's neck and drained his blood. I don't know what crossed my mind, as I would have never thought of drinking another vampire's blood. It must have been the inner beast inside me that compelled me to do so.

And so, I have claimed the first soul that I killed by my own volition. But by goodness, his blood was delicious, and somehow, I felt... stronger.

" _It took you long enough, pawn."_

"Molag Bal."

I had completely forgotten that because of my necklace, Molag Bal could see every deed that I have committed. And yet, he was completely silent after I first awakened as a vampire, until I finally killed somebody.

" _How does it feel? To unleash your rage? It feels really good, does it not?"_

"Shut up! He deserved it! Someone like that is irredeemable!"

" _Ah, to be the judge, jury, and executioner._ _You have proven yourself to be a very interesting pawn indeed... You have greatly pleased me._ "

And then, there was nothing. I could no longer hear Molag Bal's voice in my head. Damn Daedra, I didn't kill that scum in his name, I killed him in the name of justice. Yes, that's what it is... justice.

Dia followed me by leaping to the ground below, and she tried her hardest to comfort me. "Natalia, are you okay?"

"Dia... Did I do the right thing?" I stared blankly at Dia, with the bloodied daggers still firmly gripped in my hands.

"Well um, I guess that he deserved it, but... to be honest, the way you killed him was truly horrifying."

I sat on the ground, as I contemplated on my actions. It was the right thing to save a man in peril, but did I truly do the right thing by brutally killing his would-be assailant?

"A vampire killing another in cold blood, an unexpected turn of events indeed."

Even though he was on the brink of the death a few seconds ago, the Vigilant remained defiant.

"Oh, did you expect me to thank a vampire like you? I've besmirched Stendarr's name by letting myself get captured by your kind, and the most benevolent thing that you can do here is to kill me quickly."

Without saying a word, I cut the man's bindings, and walked away from him.

"You weren't listening to me, were you? If you don't kill me now, I'll be sure to tell my fellow Vigilants to hunt you down."

"Please... just go. I've no desire to kill anyone, I'm not a bad person."

The man stood up, and walked away without even looking at me or Dia.

Just before the Vigilant left, he turned around and said, "I shall give you an advice. Do not lose your way, that is all. Farewell, and thank you."

I stood still for a while, as I tried to take his advice to my heart. After another deep breath, I resumed my journey.

"Let's go, what we're looking for is somewhere in this room."

Near the place where I rescued the Vigilant was a long bridge. Dia and I walked across it, and it brought us to a strange and unknown large structure, a platform of sorts. It was round, and there was another bridge nearby that lead to the other end of the cave, and there were many braziers scattered about.

In the middle of the structure was a rather conspicuous object, one that I could not name. It looked like some sort of pedestal, with a big opening on top of it.

When I approached it, Dia suddenly grabbed me. "No! Don't touch it, it's dangerous! It's a Blood Seal!"

"Blood Seal? What's that?"

"A strange object which, as it name implies, can only be opened by blood. If you touch it, a spike will emerge and pierce your palm and trust me, you don't want to know what it feels like. Hold on, I'll take one of the severed hands back there."

"No. I know that what I'm looking for is being hidden by this thing, and if I want to reveal it, then I'll do it with my own hands."

"Okay, suit yourself. Just prepare yourself for the worst, and bite your lips. It might alleviate the pain a bit."

I closed my eyes, as I put my right hand on the Blood Seal's opening. Without warning, a spike emerged from it, and my blood trickled down from the hole that it had created on my right palm. Not long  after my blood entered the device, the platform rumbled, and purple lights emerged from the ground.

"That was... amazing. Are you all right?"

"Yeah, it hurts a bit, but I'm sure that the wound will close itself quickly."

"Okay, you've done your part, now I'll deal with these braziers. I think I've solved a puzzle like this before."

I sat near one of the pillars of the platform, away from its center. As I thought, it didn't take long for my hand to heal, thanks to my powers. A few moments later, Dia had finished her task. Truly remarkable, it's as if the puzzle was mere child's play to her.

"Let's keep our distance, something will come out of the ground."

Sure enough, the platform rumbled once again, but this time, the floor was visibly moving in a circular pattern. The floors formed a stairway, and from the platform's center, a large stone object emerged. When I put my hands on the object, it opened itself, and revealed a woman  sleeping inside.

Who knows how long she has been in that stone coffin, but it didn't take a wizard to tell that she was a vampire, as nobody could have possibly survived down there without any food or water. 

"Another vampire? What kind of sick joke is this?"

"Wait, something is different about her. Look, her face is not as monstrous as the other vampires that we have encountered."

Unlike the other vampires that we have encountered, her face was not monstrous and bat-like, and there were no wrinkles on her face. Her hair was raven black, without a single strand of grey hair. I would have likely mistaken her for a normal human from afar, if I couldn't detect the absence of life force in her body.

The woman tried to move her body, but sleeping inside that coffin must have made her joints and muscles all wobbly. When she tried to stand, she instead lost her balance and ended up kneeling on the ground, still with her eyes closed.

"Uhh... Mother? Is that you?" The woman recovered her strength, and she looked up, her eyes finally locking up with Dia's for the first time. "Wait, you're not her."

"Mother? Sorry, I'm afraid that you got the wrong person."

"But... I'm pretty sure that I sensed the presence of another Daughter of Coldharbour, and the only one who knows this place would be my mother, unless..."

"That would be me." I raised my right hand, like a student who was about to answer a question from their teacher.

"Really? Let me take a closer look," the mysterious woman inspected me closely, and funnily, she also sniffed at me like a curious dog.

"Indeed, you're telling the truth. But it's strange, with that black ring around your eyes, you look more like a Scion."

"There's that word  again, 'Scion'. Looks like I'm going to have lots of questions at the end of this day."

"Well, in any case, I'm glad that you saved me. My name is Serana."

"Natalia, and this here is Dia."

"So. what brings you here? Did my father send you?"

"If by 'father' you mean the leader of the Volkihar Clan, then no. In fact, we just fought some people that you might know back there. We're here because we followed a familiar scent, and it brought us to you."

"I see. But, I don't recall ever meeting any of you before. Are you sure that you got the right person?"

"Well..." I took the time to explain everything that we've learned so far to Serana, as well as the moments that led to my encounter with Dia.

"All right Natalia, we found her. What's next?"

"I don't know, he said that I could gain more power by coming here, yet I didn't feel any stronger after meeting her."

"'He'? Ah, you know what? I'm sure that this discussion will take forever to finish, so let's just end it for now."

"I agree with that notion." Serana had finally recovered all of her strength, and she was ready to go.

It was a very tiresome journey, but the first objective in my quest has finally been completed. Although I had no idea what to do next, as Molag Bal didn't give me any clue whatsoever.

"Well, since you have no clear objective after this, why not come to my home? I'm pretty sure that my father can help you out."

"Good idea. Let's go to the headquarters of the people that we just maimed."

"Have you always been this derisive? What's wrong with you?" Surprisingly, Dia rebuked me for my whining. There was not a single hint of her usual playful demeanor when she said it, I didn't think that she was capable of being stern.

"I... I'm sorry. I guess that the events that have transpired today have taken their toll on my psyche."

"Very well, let's leave this place. I think that it's safer to go back the way we came."

"And meet that spider again? No!"

"Urgh, fine... Let's go on ahead, there should be an exit at the end of this cave." I almost felt bad for making Dia groan, almost.

We delved deeper inside the cave, and we encountered so many dangerous creatures, like gargoyles, reanimated skeletons, and the infamous Draugrs. However, they were no match for the combined strength of three vampires, and we finally managed to find our way out.

It was dark outside, and it was snowing heavily. Even so, Serana seemed to be very content. She inhaled deeply, and slowly exhaled, savoring the sweet air of freedom. "Ah, this must be that beautiful Skyrim weather that I've always heard about."

"I was going to call you weird, but I might probably act the same way if I was trapped in a stone coffin for thousands of years." Even with that mask on, Dia was obviously having a good time, even though we just braved a dangerous dungeon a few moments ago.

"Enough with the banter, please. Serana, where should we go next?"

"Well, I live in a big castle that is located on a small island to the northwest.  I don't know if it's a part of High Rock or Skyrim now." 

"Castle Volkihar?" Dia interjected.

"Right. How did you know about that?"

"Ah, that means that we have to find a vessel that can take us there, like a boat. Closest town with a port from here would be Dawnstar, but I doubt that a boat from Dawnstar can take us all the way there. So. we should go to Solitude instead. It's going to take us at least five days if we take a few short breaks along the way."

"You didn't answer my question." Serana's tone was slightly inquisitive, which was understandable. How could Dia know about an ancient vampire castle in the middle of nowhere?

"Look, I've traveled around the world for quite some time now, and I've read plenty of books. And it just so happens that I've read a book about Castle Volkihar, an ancient castle located somewhere in an island that sits on the border of High Rock and Skyrim, which is supposedly inhabited by a powerful Vampire Lord. "

"That's... terrifyingly accurate. I didn't know that the people today would know so much." 

"If you're interested, I can tell you everything that I know. But for now, let's focus on getting to your home first." Dia turned her attention from Serana towards me, with her red snake-like eyes gazing directly at my visage. "Well, Natalia? Shall we go now?"

"Go we shall."


End file.
